At a glance...
• Veteran councillor Tina Valcarcel, a former Lambeth Mayor, has defected to the Liberal Democrats, saying Labour is “no longer the party I joined”
• Her move adds to a wave of Labour defections across London, with councillors switching to the Liberal Democrats, Greens, Conservatives and independents, often citing Sir Keir Starmer’s shift to the right and Labour’s stance on Gaza
• The defections come amid multiple by-election losses for Labour in London, signalling growing grassroots discontent despite the party’s general election landslide
