Haringey Socialist Alliance Slams Labour Cuts Haringey 2026

Key Points

• Haringey Socialist Alliance (HSA) candidates Alison Davy, Paul Burnham, John Sinha, and Gary McFarlane are standing in local elections next month in north London.
• Endorsed by Your Party, which recently voted to ban dual membership for socialist organisations.
• Alison Davy, standing in Northumberland Park—the second poorest ward in London—highlights resident frustration with Labour’s cuts, neglect of council estates, unfulfilled renovation promises, and failure to support food banks and community needs.
• Residents are angry over Labour MP David Lammy’s careerism, the party’s stance on the Gaza genocide, and racism towards small boat arrivals.
• HSA stopped a council estate demolition via the Haringey Development Vehicle in 2018 through campaigning, but neglect persists.
• Davy runs a community support group aiding with repairs, form filling, and immigration advice due to council shortcomings.
• Paul Burnham criticises central government control over councils, the lack of interest in council housing, and support for property developers; he calls for councillors to challenge them.
• John Sinha pledges HSA will not vote for cuts under any conditions, positioning them as unique in Haringey elections.
• Coverage originates solely from Socialist Worker interviews; no additional statements from other media sources.

Haringey Socialist Alliance candidates voice resident discontent ahead of local elections (North London News) April 16, 2026 –

Why are Haringey residents fed up with Labour, according to Socialist Alliance candidates?

In Haringey, north London, candidates from the Haringey Socialist Alliance (HSA)—Alison Davy, Paul Burnham, John Sinha, and Gary McFarlane—have spoken out on widespread frustration with the Labour Party ahead of next month’s local elections. As reported by Socialist Worker, the group, endorsed by Your Party, positions itself as a socialist alternative amid claims of Labour’s long-term neglect.

Alison Davy, standing in Northumberland Park, described the area’s deprivation.

“Northumberland Park, where I am standing, is the second poorest ward in London. When you walk through the area, you really feel it,”

She told Socialist Worker.

Davy, who spoke directly to the publication, elaborated on resident sentiment.

“People are fed up with the Labour Party and have been for a long time. They know the local MP David Lammy is a careerist—he hasn’t supported local people,”

She said. She pointed to anger over “the genocide in Gaza and the racism of the Labour Party blaming people in small boats.”

The council’s 40-year Labour control forms a core grievance. “There is a definite anger,” Davy noted.

What is the history of the Haringey Development Vehicle and council estate issues?

Davy referenced a major local campaign. “There is a big council estate, and the council had a vision of demolishing it—the Haringey Development Vehicle. We had a campaign and stopped the demolition in 2018,” she told Socialist Worker. Despite this victory, issues persist.

“But the council has neglected it since. There are always promises of renovation. But they haven’t done it. They have made more and more cuts.”

Food insecurity exacerbates matters.

“There are 50 food projects in the borough; the food banks need more space, but the council hasn’t helped at all,”

Davy stated.

Her personal involvement underscores community gaps.

“I started a community support group. People help each other with repairs, form filling, getting immigration advice—just simple things where the council is not helping,”

she explained to Socialist Worker. This led to her candidacy.

“It has meant that people asked me to stand as a councillor. I always said no before, but with Your Party, there was some hope that it would be a mass movement, building on the 800,000 people who initially signed up. That hasn’t happened, but we still need a socialist voice.”

No other media outlets have reported additional details on these specific campaigns or statements as of this coverage.

How does Paul Burnham view the central government’s role in local housing?

Housing campaigner Paul Burnham, another HSA candidate, addressed structural constraints. As reported by Socialist Worker, he told the publication:

“Central government is the problem. They control what councils can and can’t do. But we have to have councillors who are prepared to bang on the table and tell them what is needed.”

Burnham criticised national priorities.

“We have a government that is not interested in council housing and backs property developers all the way,”

he said. His comments highlight tensions between local needs and Westminster policies, with HSA advocating assertive local representation.

What commitment are HSA candidates making on budget cuts?

John Sinha, a future HSA candidate, outlined a firm stance. “We will not vote for cuts under any conditions,” he told Socialist Worker.

“That’s a commitment. We are the only people in this election in Haringey saying that.”

This pledge differentiates HSA in the contest, focusing on anti-austerity principles amid ongoing council challenges.

Gary McFarlane, the fourth candidate, was noted in the Socialist Worker piece as part of the slate, though no direct quotes from him appear in the available reporting.

The HSA’s emergence ties to Your Party’s endorsement, following its leadership vote to ban dual membership for socialist organisations, as linked in the original coverage.

Background of the Development

The Haringey Development Vehicle (HDV) was a proposed joint venture between Haringey Council and the Local Pensions Partnership to redevelop council estates, including Northumberland Park. Announced in 2015, it aimed to build thousands of homes but faced opposition over fears of demolishing existing social housing without adequate replacements. Campaigners, including local residents and groups like HSA precursors, protested against what they termed “social cleansing.” In 2018, after sustained pressure—including legal challenges and public demonstrations—the Labour-led council abandoned the HDV. Northumberland Park estate, a key flashpoint, remains under Labour control, with residents reporting persistent maintenance issues and unfulfilled regeneration pledges since the project’s halt. Food bank proliferation reflects broader deprivation, with Haringey ranking among London’s higher-poverty boroughs per official indices. Your Party, formerly associated with large initial sign-ups, has shifted structurally, influencing endorsements like HSAs.

Prediction: How this development can affect Haringey voters

Haringey voters, particularly in deprived wards like Northumberland Park, may see HSA’s candidacy introduce a no-cuts option, potentially splitting the left vote and influencing Labour’s hold on seats. Residents facing housing neglect and service gaps could engage more with community-led alternatives, prompting councils to address food projects and estate repairs to retain support. Central government funding constraints remain, so HSA gains might pressure national policy on council housing versus developers. Local elections outcomes could shift resource allocation, affecting daily services for the borough’s 270,000 residents, including estate tenants and food bank users, without altering broader fiscal controls.