Peray Ahmet blames Starmer for Haringey Labour 'disaster'

The former council leader lost her own seat at the election last week as Labour lost control of the council for the first time since the 1970s, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

The moment Incumbent council leader Peray Ahmet lost her seat. Haringey local election count, Alexandra Palace (credit Joe Ives/LDRS) — The moment incumbent council leader Peray Ahmet lost her seat on Friday (8th) (credit Joe Ives/LDRS)

The former leader of Haringey Council has blamed the prime minister for the “absolute disaster” her party endured in the local elections.

Last week, the Labour group lost 23 of the 44 seats it held before the election last Thursday (7th), losing control of the local authority for the first time in more than 55 years.

The council also witnessed perhaps the most dramatic moment in its electoral history when Peray Ahmet, the local authority’s incumbent leader, endured a ‘Portillo moment’ and lost her own seat to the Greens, who now hold the most seats on the council.

In an interview with the BBC, the former Labour leader has now placed the blame for her defeat squarely at the feet of PM Sir Keir Starmer, saying: “I think it’s clear where the blame lies. It was clear before we went into the election. It’s clear now.

”The prime minister has to take responsibility – and those around him. This has been an absolute disaster for all of us.”

In the video, which Ahmet reposted on X on Sunday (10th), the former council leader was asked if she wanted the PM to keep his position. Ahmet responded, saying: “I think where we’re at at the moment, it’s not a case of if, it’s a case of when he leaves his position.”

At the 2022 election, Cllr Ahmet’s closest competitor was a Liberal Democrat candidate – one she beat by 1,335 votes. The Greens didn’t even put forward a candidate in the ward that year.

Following the 2026 election, no single party has overall control of the council, with Labour firmly behind the Greens, having won just 21 seats. The Liberal Democrats have eight councillors – one more than they had before the election. The results ended consecutive Labour administrations dating all the way back to 1971.

Ahmet’s X post has received a significant amount of derision in the comments section, with some accusing Ahmet of failing to take responsibility for her own failures.

Over the weekend the former council leader also shared her dismay following the news that Labour lost control of Barnsley Council after 50 years in power, posting on X: “This is absolutely devastating. My five years as leader pales in comparison to the titan that is Sir Steve Houghton. When you’re losing people like this you know it’s time for a reset and a new start.”

She has also shared a post by MP and former Starmer cabinet minister Angela Rayner. Rayner stopped short of calling for Starmer’s resignation, but said that “the prime minister must now meet the moment and set out the change our country needs,” adding: “Labour exists to make working people better off. That is not happening fast enough, and it needs to change — now.”

At the time of reporting nearly 80 MPs have called for the prime minister’s resignation, including cabinet member Miatta Fahnbulleh, who resigned from her post as minister for devolution, faith and communities this morning (Tuesday 12th). Ahmet has since shared Fahnbulleh’s resignation statement on X.

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