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A former cagefighter convicted of Britain’s largest cash robbery was shot in the neck in his kitchen following his release from jail
Paul Allen, then 41, was paralysed for life after shots were fired at his large detached rented home in Woodford Green, east London
A jury at the Old Bailey was told the intention was to kill him
are accused of plotting to murder him with others unknown
prosecutor Michael Shaw said: “On July 11 2019
gunshots were fired from a self-loading Glock 9mm handgun
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“They were fired at a man called Paul Allen as he stood in the kitchen at the back of a large detached house in Malvern Drive in Woodford
“The intention of the men who planned and carried out that shooting of Paul Allen on July 11 was to kill him – you will have no doubt about that when you see the evidence in this case
At least six bullets were fired at him from that Glock handgun
“One hit him in the centre of the throat and left him paralysed for life
“It was only the rapid intervention of neighbours
and then the skill of surgeons who were able to remove the bullet lodged in his spine
Mr Shaw added: “Three of the men who planned and carried out that attack are in the dock of this Crown Court today.”
The gunshots that night were heard “pretty much all over Woodford” and police received a number of emergency calls
Mr Allen’s next-door neighbours heard the loud bangs and the victim’s partner
They dashed over and found Ms Bovingdon screaming for an ambulance and Mr Allen slumped in the hallway with a towel pressed to his neck and struggling to breathe
His little finger had been “virtually amputated” by one of the bullets
A private security guard provided first aid and armed police took over before paramedics arrived
Other neighbours saw between one and three figures running away and getting into the “mission car” – a hired Renault Captur – that made off at speed
Jurors heard that scenes of crime officers were deployed to the property soon after the shooting and recovered five shell casings close to a summer house
Swabs were taken from a nearby fence panel and DNA was matched to Kelly and Louis Ahearne
Mr Shaw added: “The reason they hit him in the throat was they had a particularly effective sight fitted to the Glock
the sort of sight found at Daniel Kelly’s address one month later.”
The prosecutor said the background to the shooting was that Mr Allen is a career criminal and “a very sophisticated criminal at that”
He told jurors: “He was convicted a number of years ago at Woolwich Crown Court for his part in what was then – and still is – Britain’s biggest armed robbery
he had been released from prison and moved from south London to a large detached property in Woodford
where he lived with his partner and young children.”
The defendants travelled from their home turf in the Woolwich area of south-east London
through the Blackwall Tunnel to the victim’s new home in Malvern Drive as part of the planning and execution of the conspiracy
Mr Shaw told the jury they were “not going on a picnic” as they scouted the scene around the address
As part of the sophisticated planning of the attack
unregistered pay-as-you-go mobile phones were used to communicate and vehicles hired
The Renault Captur was hired by Stewart Ahearne from a dealership in Dartford and used by the other two defendants in a burglary on a gated community in Kent the day before the shooting
Jurors heard that CCTV cameras on a house next to the scene of the shooting captured “significant” events that night as well as Kelly allegedly carrying out reconnaissance in a Mercedes car on the previous morning and on earlier dates
Mr Allen had arrived home in a white Ford Fiesta but went out again in his other car
which had allegedly delayed the attack plan
Mr Shaw told jurors that the defendants had fitted the Mercedes with a tracking device
have denied conspiring to murder Mr Allen between June 26 and July 12 2019
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Evening Standard analysis of all the key seats in London for the July 4 General Election
News | Politics
Top five candidates (in alphabetical order):
Sir Iain Duncan Smith - Conservatives (17,281 votes)
Faiza Shaheen - Independent (12,445 votes)
Shama Tatler - Labour (12,524 votes)
I’m not sure if I’m in this constituency: Here’s how you can check
Boundary changes impact: Nearly a fifth of the revamped Chingford and Woodford Green constituency is being absorbed from Ilford North, tilting it further towards Labour.
The Guardian is reporting from the constituency of Chingford and Woodford Green to find out what issues people there care about most – and we want your help
The Guardian will be reporting from Chingford and Woodford Green – where Labour’s Faiza Shaheen hopes to unseat Iain Duncan Smith – ahead of the general election
This will be part of a series of pieces from across the country focused on finding out what matters most to the people who live there
If you live in Chingford and Woodford Green
can you tell us what will decide your vote
We’d like to understand the big issues facing you and your family and which policies matter to you
How happy are you with the state of housing
Who has an impact on your community that we should meet
Are there issues in your family that create division
Or perhaps you feel disengaged from national politics altogether
Labour is fighting its former candidate in Iain Duncan Smith’s long-held seat
but local residents don’t appear bowled over by their election options
“The Tories really don’t deserve to be in but I’ll struggle to support Labour
But it will be a struggle to vote.” David Cherry is out walking his dog
in the spring sunshine in Chingford Green park
“Neither of them give you a clear indication
Enthusiasm for the election is hard to find in this north-east London constituency, where a walkover by Labour has been thrown into doubt by the decision of the party’s former candidate Faiza Shaheen to run as an independent
He held the predecessor seat of Chingford for five years before that
inheriting it from the Thatcher-era cabinet minister Norman Tebbit
Like other outer-London constituencies that Labour is targeting, the demographics here have changed over time, becoming younger and more diverse, as people have moved from inner London
says he moved to Chingford from Walthamstow
He doesn’t understand what we’ve been through in society,” he says
citing knife crime and the difficulties of finding a job
say their politics clash with those of their neighbours
“We moved up from Walthamstow and we’ve found ourselves in a bit of a minority,” says Tom
which is completely blown out of proportion in our opinion
the councillor from Brent who is now the party’s candidate
but some former Labour supporters say they would struggle to back her
View image in fullscreenThe former Labour candidate Faiza Shaheen
Photograph: Guy Smallman/Getty“There is just this general feeling that we have been sold down the river completely,” says one local voter
“We are negligible.” Another describes the party’s treatment of Shaheen as “disgusting”
a Labour member who had been campaigning for Shaheen
pointing to the work Shaheen had done to build up a personal following in the area
she and her committed supporters will pit that support against the formidable power of Labour’s brand
The party is assuming the red tide sweeping the UK will carry Tatler comfortably over the line
One recent projection put Labour’s vote at 54% in Chingford and Woodford Green
leaving quite some margin for Shaheen to peel away progressive voters without saving the Tory former cabinet minister
Her supporters believe she can do more than that
and win – though victories by independent candidates at general elections are vanishingly rare
“The way that Labour has treated her has tapped into a nerve,” says Helen Watson
who resigned as chair of the Woodford Green branch of the Labour party to back Shaheen alongside more than 40 other members
“The thing that you get on the doorstep is
as they’ve messed the country up,’ but there is absolutely no enthusiasm for the Labour party
A lot of people who don’t want to vote Tory will now look at voting Faiza.”
Duncan Smith has been assiduously cultivating his patch
the team of volunteers who run the local community library say he has helped them to fight off the threat of closure – and they praise him for popping in regularly
Housed in a former shop on a busy street, the library is a social hub, offering tea, biscuits and conversation as well as reading matter, and the volunteers are frank about the fact it is as beneficial to them as it is for readers. “For me personally it has been incredibly helpful,” says 91-year-old Marie Wragg. “After losing my husband, it has given me a sense of purpose.”
Free daily newsletterMake sense of the UK election campaign with Archie Bland's daily briefing, direct to your inbox at 5pm (BST). Jokes where available
Read moreAsked what issues affect the local community
the volunteers mention (Labour) council plans for high-rise housing
the dire state of the pavements and NHS waiting times
including the difficulty of getting a GP appointment
It was meant to be rebuilt by 2030 as part of Boris Johnson’s pledge of 40 new hospitals
with the demolition of nurses’ accommodation to make way for a new car park
View image in fullscreenMary Burnett is a campaigner for Action4Whipps
which wants better services at Whipps Cross hospital
Photograph: Linda Nylind/The GuardianThe local group Action4Whipps has been campaigning assiduously
warning that as well as being painfully slow
the plans for the new hospital involve insufficient beds and no replacement for key services it currently provides
“It’s ridiculous,” says Mary Burnett of Action4Whipps
speaking in her pleasant Victorian house in Highams Park in the south of the constituency
“We could end up with a spanking new hospital
and there will still be all the same problems
Labour has promised to go ahead with the plans to rebuild four London hospitals, including Whipps Cross. Tatler posed outside with the shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, last week, saying: “I’m committed to helping Wes rebuild this hospital.” Nevertheless
Burnett expects to have to keep campaigning for some time yet
the constituency is generously served with green space
Woodford Green is home to a statue of Winston Churchill
and a cricket ground that would not look out of place in a rural village
Just to the west are the 7.3 hectares (18 acres) of the Highams Park
“Rishi Sunak knows what he’s doing,” says Shiv Bagga, a pharmacist. “After all, the others put the Conservatives in a mess
View image in fullscreenVera and Shiv Bagga with Sheila Smith-Pryor
outside Humphry’s cafe in the Highams Park
Photograph: Linda Nylind/The GuardianSheila Smith-Pryor
once served as the Liberal Democrat mayor of Waltham Forest
but will be voting Tory – as will almost all her neighbours on the affluent nearby Highams estate
Pointing to Labour’s policy of adding VAT to school fees
Some of us sent our kids to fee-paying schools
some of us pay for private health insurance
a bustling food bank inside All Saints’ church
are served a meal and allowed to choose from a range of basic foods to take away with them
View image in fullscreenSharon Waldman and Chris at the Hub
Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian“What we are very conscious of is that if people have very little food at home
most of the time they think about the family rather than themselves – and so coming here and having breakfast or having lunch is important for them,” says the Hub’s manager
able to advise clients on benefits and housing
recently moved into social housing locally and lives alone; he comes for much-needed company as well as food
Kenneth Busumbru is waiting for the renewal of his taxi permit so he can resume work
View image in fullscreen‘We’re in need of change,’ says Miriam Menezes at a Highams Park food bank with her children to support her cousin
Photograph: Linda Nylind/The GuardianMiriam Menezes has come with her two young children to support her cousin who has cancer and is struggling to make ends meet
intrude little here among the myriad of daily struggles
but when asked her thoughts about the general election
so we can only hope that something better comes along.”
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith fighting to cling onto his seat
where Labour candidate is marginally ahead in latest poll
Labour is ahead in a three-way race for a key seat in east London
according to a major poll published with just over 12 hours to go before voters begin casting their ballots
Sir Iain Duncan Smith is hoping to cling on in the Chingford and Woodford Green constituency
where Labour candidate Shama Tatler is ahead on 35 per cent of the vote and the former Tory leader on 26 per cent
according to the YouGov survey on Wednesday evening
Follow all the latest election results on our General Election 2024 liveblog
Pollsters have suggested it will be a Labour gain
which put the Tories facing a historic defeat across the country
is polling strongly in Chingford and Woodford Green
but our model still places her third behind Labour and the Conservatives.”
Ms Shaheen
who came within 1,262 votes of toppling Sir Iain in 2019
quit Labour and announced she was running as an independent
Assuming that she will win the bulk of the independent vote
she now sits just behind the two frontrunners on 23 per cent
“This is about what Labour can bring to a constituency in a city and a country that absolutely needs change
“And I won't be deterred by some of the nasty stuff that's being posted around me or the campaign.”
It comes after Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the harassment of Labour candidates
volunteers and staff as they face “intimidation
abuse and harassment” in some areas across the UK
Videos circulating on messaging apps show activists shouting at supporters of Bethnal Green and Stepney Labour candidate Rushanara Ali
while shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has been the subject of a fake recording shared on social media
In Birmingham, supporters of Labour’s Shabana Mahmood were forced to call police twice to complain about being harassed while out canvassing over the weekend.
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“Some of the stuff that's been thrown my way on a personal level has been particularly difficult,” Ms Tatler
who is a single mother to a teenager daughter
But I've got members of my family who are on [Twitter] and they've seen some of the stuff that's been thrown at me
“I think the most difficult thing that we've seen is some of the racial attacks come to me about me being of Indian origin
“And it's really difficult for my family to see
really amazing at being supportive and not responding
And I've been very mindful to tell my supporters and activists not to get engaged in that sort of behavior
for a decision that wasn't even my decision has been very kind of eye opening and it’s kind of worrying that this is what
Independent Ms Shaheen has received some high-profile backers since announcing she would run against her former party
World snooker champion Ronnie O'Sullivan and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - who is running himself as an independent in Islington North- have endorsed her campaign
Ms Shaheen said she received “hundreds of messages from people in my community
who say there are no options left for them”
"They are tired of the Tories but now feel they can’t trust Labour." She added: "I am standing to give a voice to my community – the community that made me and has put their faith in me
The Standard has put together constituency profiles for every seat in London
Check here for a full list of all the main candidates across the capital:
For best viewing experience of this website
Please enter a place name in the search bar
After provisionally the warmest May Day on record in the UK
higher than average temperatures will subside over the weekend
Environment Agency
Updated: 09:43 (UTC+1) on Tue 6 May 2025
it will turn increasingly cloudy from off the North Sea
Some bright or sunny spells developing by evening
Staying dry with some lengthy clear skies overnight
Turning chilly with a touch of grass frost in places
Largely dry with variable amounts of cloud and bright or sunny spells on Wednesday
with variable amounts of cloud and bright or sunny spells throughout the period
Dry across the vast majority of the UK with clear or sunny spells but also some patchy cloud
Cloud will likely thicken across the far north and northwest during the weekend with some outbreaks of rain for a time
There is also a small risk of some heavy showers in the far south or southwest
high pressure will be dominant across the UK
This will bring predominantly fine and dry weather for the majority of places
Temperatures are likely to be slightly above normal for the time of year
although there is a chance of some cold nights
Fairly typical weather for the time of year is most likely through this period
fine and dry weather is more likely to dominate although this will be interspersed with occasional spells of rain and showers
with a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in places
temperatures will most likely be near to or slightly above average
The contest was a three-way fight between the former Tory leader
Labour’s Shama Tatler and Independent candidate Faiza Shaheen
Listen here on your chosen podcast platform.
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith was the great survivor on a night when Conservative seats fell like nine pins — benefiting from an internal Labour row splitting the vote against him.
The MP for Chingford & Woodford Green hung on with a majority of 4,757 over his Labour rival Shama Tatler who only narrowly beat her predecessor as the party’s candidate, Faiza Shaheen.
The contest in east London hit the headlines when Labour dropped Ms Shaheen as its candidate in the run-up to the election after she was accused of liking a series of posts that allegedly downplayed antisemitism allegations.
That prompted her to launch an independent campaign — complete with the celebrity backing of snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan — and she was scathing about Labour’s decision to deselect her which she said gifted the election to Sir Iain.
Attacking Labour after the result was announced, she said: “They’ve let my community down. I’m so angry with them right now. That shouldn’t have happened.”
She told reporters Labour “lied” to voters, adding: “They told people there was no chance I could win.”
Ms Shaheen, who grew up in the constituency, said people would be “disappointed to have Iain Duncan Smith over again” but praised the “grassroots” campaign that backed her and accused Labour of ignoring the constituency’s wishes. She said: “You imposed a candidate that no one knew.
“You thought it didn’t matter, you thought you could treat me and treat our community any way you wanted to treat us but we’ve stood up and we said no.
“We did something remarkable, we came together and we had each other’s backs and you need to remember this, parachuting in candidates and trying to destroy someone’s life hasn’t done anything and it’s not ok and people will stand up if you carry on like this.”
Ms Shaheen was the party’s candidate in 2019 when she came within 1,262 votes of beating Mr Duncan-Smith.
The leading Conservative Brexiteer has been MP since the current seat was created in 1997 and it has long been a Conservative stronghold with parts of the constituency being represented at different times by former prime minister Winston Churchill and leading Thatcherite Norman Tebbit.
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Woodford Green v Old Southendian & Southchurch – Essex Cricket League Division Three – The Green – Report
Old Southendian & Southchurch 93 for two (23.0 overs)
Woodford Green won the toss and elected to bat
Old Southendian & Southchurch won by eight wickets
Essex Cricket League Division Three leaders Old Southendian & Southchurch eased to an eight-wicket victory over Woodford Green in a low-scoring encounter at The Green.
Ahsan Yousaf starred with the ball, returning excellent bowling figures of 15-5-34-5 as the Old Boys dismissed the hosts inside 32 overs for just 92.
The chase proved relatively comfortable, although the visitors lost Callum Powrie and Hemanth Venkatakrishna. Hafiz Yawer Afzal helped his side over the line with some to spare after hitting an unbeaten 45* from 63 balls. The Old Boys’ advantage at the summit is now 34 points.
Woodford Green: A Shukla, J Hussain, H Kazmi, H Hussain, J Udeshi, J Palmer, F Marshall, J Latif, H Latif, H Marshall, G Bruce
Old Southendian & Southchurch: H Yawer Afzal, C Powrie, H Venkatakrishna, D Batt, M Craddock, M Darvill, A Yousaf, H Varma, L Clarke, J Madren, M Austin
Old Southendian & Southchurch 2nd were leapfrogged at the top of Division Eight as Westcliff On Sea 2nd recorded a 48-run triumph at the Peter Butler Oval, Garon Park.
Joseph Smith top-scored for Westcliff with 61 as they posted 181, a lead they comfortably defended despite the dogged efforts of Cooper Fawcett (47 off 83). Raj Pathak had 16-4-35-4, and Callum Mortimer 14-5-49-4 for the triumphant visitors.
Old Southendian & Southchurch 3rd remain at the top of Division Thirteen despite slipping to a surprise 22-run defeat against relegation-haunted Belhus 2nd at South Ockendon Recreation Ground, this despite a four-wicket haul from Zak Impey.
There was a 63-run Division Eighteen success for leaders Old Southendian & Southchurch 4th over Wickford 5th at Wickford Memorial Park. Phil Clark hit 42 and Michael Bunce 41 for the victorious visitors. However, in the same division, the Old Boys 5th team suffered a 50-run defeat to their Westcliff On Sea counterparts at the Shoebury Garrison Ground. Aayush Auchar with three for 37 for the home side.
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News | UK
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have praised the work of Haven House Children’s Hospice as they attended a garden party for the charity in Essex
The party was held to celebrate the work of the charity
which has cared for seriously ill children and their families over the past 20 years
The princesses toured the hospice and spent the afternoon meeting staff, patients and families in its Woodford Green grounds
Beatrice and Eugenie also planted a commemorative tree in the hospice’s garden
The hospice is home to an arboretum of more than 100 trees planted by notable public figures, including Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill
The princesses’ tree will stand alongside a hazel tree that was gifted to the hospice by their late grandmother
Beatrice praised the hospice for its “truly inspiring” care
“This hospice is a beacon of love and support for so many families,” she said
“The compassion and care provided here is truly inspiring
and it is a privilege to be part of this special day.”
Eugenie said that seeing the “strength and resilience” of the children and their families was “deeply moving”
“This hospice not only provides vital care but also creates a space where joy and laughter can flourish
even in the most challenging times,” she added
Other guests at the garden party included Downton Abbey creator Lord Fellowes and his wife
Haven House chief executive Ralph Coulbeck said they were “incredibly honoured” to welcome the princesses
“Their commitment to supporting children’s causes is truly inspiring
and their visit today has brought so much joy,” he said
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“The tree they planted will be a lasting symbol of hope and resilience for everyone who comes to our gardens
“The garden party was a perfect way to say thank you to our supporters
it was a wonderful event and heartening to see so many of our children and families celebrating with us.”
Years of work and my connection to the community have been brushed aside
But after months of being isolated and bullied
On Wednesday night I was removed, via email, from being the Labour parliamentary candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green
and this battle means so much to me personally
I was asked to attend a sham 45-minute online meeting via email just hours before my deselection
with three members of the National Executive Committee – one of whom never put his camera on or said a word – and my fate was decided
More than four years’ work thrown in the bin
My connection to my community brushed aside
And the desires of thousands in my constituency disregarded
including me liking a colleague’s tweet saying he was running as a Green councillor
and a retweet containing a list of companies to boycott to support Palestine
A tweet containing a photo of me and Jeremy Corbyn from 2019 was twisted to say I was showing I was proud of antisemitism in that era
especially as others have been let off for far worse
including being stripped of paid organiser support when I was seven months pregnant
public ownership and Palestine to be welcomed in today’s Labour party
Officially it has been decided my candidacy “would frustrate [the Labour party’s] primary purpose of winning elections”
I ran in one of only six Tory-held seats that saw a swing to Labour
The irony is that taking me off the ballot and replacing me with someone no one in my community knows will jeopardise Labour’s ability to win this seat and finally unseat the Tory grandee Iain Duncan Smith
Depriving us of a Labour seat – and the chance of justice for all those sick and disabled people
who experienced benefits cuts because of Smith’s policies – is rotten
My fate was leaked to the press before I found out
and I knew I had to get my side of the story out quickly
One of my first thoughts when I realised this could be the end of my political career was: “Please don’t ruin my life
Don’t make it so I can never get another job again.”
They have made people like me and the political icon Diane Abbott beg and grovel
But I’ve been overwhelmed by support after my Newsnight interview
Hundreds of people have been in touch locally and nationally saying they will no longer vote Labour because of my treatment
It turns out that humiliating a new mum who was out pounding pavements for the party six weeks after a C-section doesn’t go down well
After many conversations with angry volunteers and supporters
I realise the cruellest thing is my community being robbed of the hope of having one of our own elected
and breaking the series of awful Conservative MPs we’ve had to endure in my London borough
People who knocked on doors for Labour for decades are tearing up their Labour party membership cards and have told me they feel they have wasted their lives
people will say I should have known better
There is a reason why people say politics is a dirty game
what happened to me would be considered unfair dismissal
That the Labour party treated me this way should not be lost on anyone
How do I send a message to these bullies that they can’t treat me or anyone else this way
I’m trying to work out what avenues I have – but please rest assured
I hope the backlash will give Labour pause: to think about how it wants to win and what values it is willing to sacrifice on the journey to power
Faiza Shaheen was the Labour parliamentary candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green in 2019
and teaches at the London School of Economics
Politician to go up against her former party in London’s Chingford and Woodford Green constituency
Faiza Shaheen, the candidate blocked by Labour from standing in Chingford and Woodford Green
has announced she will stand as an independent
In a move that will pit her against Labour in one of the party’s target seats
she said she was standing in response to hundreds of messages from local people who said there were no options left for them
Shaheen said on social media: “They feel disenfranchised by Labour’s decision to remove me and feel it would be impossible for the party to win here without a local candidate
The leftwinger, who grew up in the constituency, stood in the north-east London seat in 2019
but was beaten by 1,262 votes by Iain Duncan Smith
Shaheen quit the Labour party on Tuesday after her deselection last month over historical posts on social media
controversy was brewing over whether Diane Abbott would be Labour’s candidate in Hackney North and Stoke Newington
prompting Shaheen to claim the party had “a problem with black and brown people”
many people think Labour has handed a winnable seat to the Conservatives for another five years,” Shaheen said on Wednesday
adding that she aimed to show there was a “progressive alternative” to both parties
While her entry into the race could benefit Duncan Smith
Labour sources suggested that the party’s candidate
A Labour spokesperson said: “We are focused on electing a Labour government and delivering the change that people in Chingford and Woodford Green and across the country need.”
as Corbyn handed in his papers to stand as an independent in Islington North
Asked about Starmer’s repeated insistence that the Labour party had changed
Corbyn said: “He was very happy to be in the shadow cabinet through all that time
He as very happy to support the 2017 and 19 manifestos and was very happy to campaign to be leader on the basis of defending the policies of those two manifestos
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“I don’t think there is any need for him to diss the past or diss his own involvement in it
the manifesto and policies and strategies were agreed unanimously by both the shadow cabinet and the NEC.”
The voters in 2019 rejected the Labour party very badly
I think that if you get rejected that badly
and that’s why I’ve changed the Labour party
made it a party that always puts country first and party second.”
Faiza Shaheen accused Sir Keir Starmer’s party of systematic Islamophobia and bullying after not being selected to fight for the Chingford & Woodford Green constituency
Faiza Shaheen has announced she will stand as an independent candidate for the seat of Chingford & Woodford Green after quitting the Labour Party
Ms Shaheen accused Sir Keir Starmer’s party of systematic Islamophobia and bullying after not being selected to fight for the seat which is currently held by Conservative Iain Duncan Smith
She was dropped as a Labour candidate after liking a series of posts on social media platform X that allegedly downplayed antisemitism allegations
Shortly afterwards Ms Shaheen announced she had resigned from the Labour Party
saying her removal as a candidate had been “cruel and devastating”
In a statement on Wednesday posted on X Ms Shaheen explained that she had received hundreds of messages from “people in my community
She said: “They are tired of the Tories but now feel they can’t trust Labour
“They feel disenfranchised by Labour’s decision to remove me and feel it would be impossible for the party to win here without a local candidate
to beat Iain Duncan Smith and the Conservatives
“I am standing to give a voice to my community – the community that made me and has put their faith in me.”
Ms Shaheen described how she loved her community adding that “it is a special place and deserves to be represented by someone who understands its needs and what it values”
The politician was born in Whipps Cross Hospital and explained that she went to school in Chingford before getting her first job at Greggs bakery at Chingford Mount
She added that the area “deserves an MP that listens to its problems and works their hardest to find solutions”
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Ms Shaheen continued: “An MP that understands people’s struggles to make ends meet amid the rising cost of living
An MP that fights for our underfunded local services
supports our local businesses and is a champion for our town centres
“An MP that speaks out against permitting overdevelopment without the infrastructure to support it
Ms Shaheen also personally attacked Iain Duncan Smith describing him as a “a mansion-dwelling Conservative MP
far removed from the reality of ordinary people’s lives”
The now-independent candidate explained her campaign will be powered by volunteers from the community
many local people think Labour has handed a winnable seat to the Conservatives for another five years
I aim to show that there is a progressive alternative to both parties that puts Chingford & Woodford Green first.”
Ms Shaheen had earlier said she had been “penalised for describing my experiences of Islamophobia” and claimed there was a “hierarchy of racism” in the Labour Party
adding she had “been prevented from speaking out” on issues including Palestine
Ms Shaheen was barred from standing after liking a series of posts online that allegedly downplayed antisemitism allegations
The Labour party is facing a revolt in northeast London after 50 party members quit over the deselection of Faiza Shaheen
The group has written to Sir Keir Starmer about the “appalling and unfair manner” in which the former Labour candidate has been treated in Chingford and Woodford Green
Ms Shaheen was barred from standing after liking a series of posts on social media platform X that allegedly downplayed antisemitism allegations
Shortly afterwards Ms Shaheen resigned from the Labour Party, dubbing her removal as “cruel and devastating,” and decided to run as an independent candidate instead
In a letter to Sir Keir, the 50 former party members argued Ms Shaheen had been the “democratically elected candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green”
It added: “Faiza was selected by the constituency members in a fair and open contest
accruing more votes than the other three candidates put together
“The process of deselection overturned this election result and is anti-democratic.”
The letter added that the deselection “was inhumane and degrading and based on spurious grounds”
It also highlighted that historic tweets from when Ms Shaheen was not a member of the Labour Party were being used against her while Conservative MPs with “odious views” have been admitted to the leftwing party
The group said they could no longer stay in a party that has betrayed Ms Shaheen
The independent candidate previously explained that she had received hundreds of messages from “people in my community
who say there are no options left for them” when she was dropped by Labour
Announcing she was standing as an independent she said: “They are tired of the Tories but now feel they can’t trust Labour
“I am standing here to win, to beat Iain Duncan Smith and the Conservatives
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The letter's signatories include joint campaign coordinators for the constituency Mick Moore and Sarah Chaney
They say they will be campaigning against the Labour Party’s new candidate in the constituency
and “doing all we can to support Faiza in her bid to become an Independent MP”
A London Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour campaign has seen hundreds of activists
many of whom haven’t been active before or for a long time
with a renewed sense of purpose to deliver a Labour MP for Chingford and Woodford Green and a Labour government after 14 years of Tory failure.”
The former candidate addressed a rally in northeast London on Friday
Ms Shaheen had hoped to contest Chingford and Woodford Green for Labour against Conservative Sir Iain Duncan Smith
but the party allegedly blocked her from standing over past posts on social media website X
More than a hundred supporters gathered outside a supermarket in Highams Park
Ms Shaheen told supporters: “I must be honest – after the way I’ve been treated
I don’t think there’s any way back for me into the Labour Party
Amid cries from supporters encouraging an independent bid for the seat
the academic added: “I’m going to make some decisions with the team over the next few days and I may ask you to do something really big for all of us.”
Attendees held signs saying “#WeStandWithFaiza” as shouts of “shame on Labour!” and “shame on Starmer!” punctuated an introductory speech made atop the makeshift stage of a wooden bench
Other speakers included Ms Shaheen’s husband
former general secretary of the National Education Union
Ms Shaheen said: “Just seeing you here today has filled me with so much faith and so much hope.”
Activists held a rally in support of Diane Abbott’s candidacy in Hackney earlier this week
The Hackney North and Stoke Newington hopeful is “free” to stand as a Labour candidate in the General Election
party leader Sir Keir Starmer confirmed this afternoon
One supporter said she thought Ms Shaheen was the victim of a “purge of the left” and had been discriminated against as a woman of colour
told the PA news agency: “I think Labour needs to talk about the double standards within their party
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”They’re accepting ex-Tory members with horrific profiles and histories but suddenly what Faiza has accidentally said or tweeted
“They need to let the double standards go.”
Ms Stakem and other supporters said they would vote for Ms Shaheen if she ran as an independent over Shama Tatler
who Labour has since announced as its candidate for the seat
Ms Shaheen unsuccessfully contested the Chingford and Woodford Green seat in the 2019 election
gaining 45.9% of votes – 1,262 behind Sir Iain
By MARK DUELL
They were once at the heart of almost every community across Britain
with their stunning architecture a great reminder of this country's rich tapestry of history
But more than 3,500 churches have shut across the UK over the past decade
with many now crumbling wrecks which can no longer be saved and face demolition
With church attendance having plummeted in recent decades and the repair bills simply too high
some of these beautiful buildings are simply locked up and unused
while their alarming decline paints a bleak picture for those who still view Britain as a Christian country
many churches are instead getting a new lease of life
They are being transformed for another use
And in a reflection of the country's shifting religious make-up with Christianity on the decline and Islam on the rise
some churches are even being turned into mosques
Other developers are also stepping in to save the buildings
while vicars desperate to keep churches open are attempting to turn them into multi-use community facilities
The Church of England owns more than 16,000 church buildings
but 12,500 of these are listed – and account for nearly half of the Grade I-listed buildings in the country
The chapel at Repton Park in Woodford Green
was originally a 19th Century Pentecostal church
Chapel Nightclub in Salisbury has undergone a stunning transformation into a nightclub
Places of worship on the Heritage At Risk Register in England are shown split by constituency
Search your local authority district above in this ONS map to see the area's religious make-up
An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 parish churches across the country are either closed or used intermittently without a resident vicar – while the repair backlog for the CofE's churches alone is at least £1billion, according to the National Churches Trust.
The situation has not been helped by former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who quit last November over an abuse scandal, overseeing a historic decline in the size of the CofE while in office as the number of congregants fell by 25,000 a year.
Sunday church attendance has dropped from 788,000 to 557,000 since 2013, with vicars struggling to rebuild CofE attendance on Sundays after the Covid pandemic when many churches were forced to switch to online-only services.
Government census data from 2021 showed Christians were in a minority in England and Wales for first time.
Some 46 per cent of the population or 27.5million people described themselves as 'Christian', which was down from 59 per cent or 33.3million in 2021.
Halo Nightclub in Bournemouth closed last March but is set to reopen in May as Sanctum. The building used to house St Andrew's Church, a Grade-II listed United Reformed Church
Halo in Bournemouth opeened in 2013, and underwent a £500,000 refurbishment in 2020
The same data showed that the number of Muslims rose to 3.9million or 6.5 per cent of the population in 2021, up from 2.7million or 4.9 per cent in 2011.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics also found 'no religion' was the second most common response in the census
increasing to 22.2million or 37.2 per cent in 2021
up from 14.1million or 25.2 per cent in 2011
many are being repurposed to remain a community meeting point - whether that is as a restaurant
One of the most interesting changes of use seen at churches in England is the food market chain Mercato Metropolitano's site inside St Mark's in Mayfair
The building with a stunning Romanesque exterior underwent a £5million renovation after being deconsecrated
and retains many of its original features such as tombs and artwork among the food stalls
Food market chain Mercato Metropolitano's latest site is inside St Mark's in London's Mayfair
Mercato Metropolitano in Mayfair followed a £5million renovation of the Grade I-listed church
Others have been turned into pubs and nightclubs - such as The Duke and Rye in Chichester
which is opposite the West Sussex city's cathedral
Punters now get to drink in the mid-Victorian gothic-style building which is the former 19th century Church of St Peter the Great
Another unusual conversion is the Halo Nightclub in Bournemouth
which was established at the site of the former St Andrew's Church in 2013
The Grade-II listed former United Reformed Church had a £500,000 refurbishment in 2020 and features a motorised lighting rig that descends from the ceiling
While the business ran into financial difficulties and closed in March last year
it is now set to reopen in May under new ownership with a new name - Sanctum
In North East London
a chapel that was once part of the Clayburn Asylum psychiatric hospital when it opened in 1892 has since been converted into a 24m swimming pool
The Grade II-listed Holy Trinity Church in Reading was turned into a luxurious home in 2017
The property inside Holy Trinity Church features stone walls and stained-glass windows
Swimmers at the Virgin Active facility Repton Park can look at the stunning gothic arches and stained-glass windows at the facility which also includes a sauna and gym
Elsewhere in the capital, Asylum Chapel in Peckham is a former chapel at what was home for retired pub landlords which opened in 1827 but was bombed during the Second World War
By 2010 it was being used as a space for art projects
theatre productions and shoots – and it is now a creative project space with a wedding licence
the Chapel Nightclub is a former 19th Century Pentecostal church which opened in 1897 before being renovated in 1997 when the church closed
The award-winning venue has four separate rooms - The Vestry
the Chapel and the Courtyard – and features a light-up dance floor
Meanwhile the Unitarian Chapel on High Pavement in Nottingham opened in 1876 but has in more recent years been a Pitcher & Piano bar after its conversion in 1998
Unitarian Chapel on High Pavement in Nottingham was turned into a Pitcher & Piano bar in 1998
The Grade II-listed Pitcher & Piano bar in Nottingham retains the stained glass windows
which previously housed the Nottingham Lace Museum in the 1980s
retains stained glass windows and exposed brick archways
the former St George's Church was taken on by the University of Sheffield after being closed in 1981
is now home to lecture space and student accommodation
Another impressive property conversion is Holy Trinity Church in Reading
a Grade II-listed building constructed in 1850 which was turned into a luxurious home in 2017
The Grade II-listed St Laurence's Church in Darlington
was also converted into a seven-bedroom home and features the original stone spire
is a shared workspace that was originally built in 1884 as a church hall for the nearby St John the Evangelist Church
St George's Church in Sheffield is now a university building featuring student accomodation
St George's Church functions as a lecture hall and University of Sheffield accommodation
The Grade II-listed building has also previously operated as a school
workers' club and studio to the scenic designer John Campbell who painted sets for shows
Other churches are even being turned into mosques – with the latest example covered by MailOnline being one in Watford which was recently bought by a Muslim organisation for £3.5million
St Thomas' United Reformed Church closed in 2015 with the initial plan to demolish and rebuild it because of serious structural issues
Planning permission was granted twice but the scheme was never taken forward and it was put up for sale then purchased by the local Ar-Rahmah Trust last December
the charity is trying to raise a further £1.5million to renovate the 20,000 sq ft building to reopen it as Masjid Al-Ummah next year 'with facilities like never before'
It comes after the Church of England intervened to block a disused Grade II-listed church in Staffordshire from being transformed into a mosque in August last year
St Laurence's Church in County Durham dates back to 1871 and is now a seven-bedroom home
St Laurence's Church is made of rock-faced sandstone with ashlar dressings under a slate roof
The St John the Evangelist church in Hanley
had not been used as a place of worship since the tower was declared unsafe in the 1980s
was being last used as an antiques centre and café before being sold onto the Zamir Foundation which won permission from Stoke-on-Trent City Council to turn it into a mosque
But the Church of England blocked the plan using a legal clause under a covenant that prohibits it becoming a place of worship for another religion
Other transformations have however been passed
such as a disused Victorian Methodist church in Bradford which is set to be converted into a mosque
Clayton Heights Methodist Church dates back to 1870 but has been vacant since 2020 – with plans to turn it into homes never carried out
and the church instead bought by the local Muslim community
The Grade II-listed building housing Missionworks has also operated as a school
the dilapidated former St Chad's Church in Blackburn
was transformed into the new Masjid-e-Taqwa mosque following a major renovation in 2023
The National Churches Trust has stated that 3,500 churches have closed in the UK in the last ten years
while the Church of Scotland is actively planning the closure of 30 to 40 per cent of its churches
The charity adds that about a quarter of historic churches and chapels in Wales have closed in recent years
while in England over 900 churches are on the Historic England Heritage At Risk Register
The areas considered by the National Churches Trust as the 'danger zones' which contain the largest numbers of historic churches on the At Risk Register are Lincolnshire
A survey by the charity in July last year found in-person church attendance can fall by almost a third if a local church closes
which interviewed 2,667 UK adult Christians online
asked 'What would you do if your local church building closed?'
has been brought back to life as an arts venue
Just under a quarter (22 per cent) of church-going Christians say they would no longer attend church services at all
while a further 7 per cent say they would attend services only online
The same proportion (7 per cent) said they would attend services less often than at present
Older people are most likely to stop going to church at all
with only 19 per cent of those over 65 saying they would find a new church to attend as often as they do currently
Churchgoers in the North East (30 per cent) and North West (31 per cent) of England were the most likely to stop going to church at all whilst those in London were least likely to stop going to church at all (14 per cent)
The CofE states that about 20 churches are closed for worship each year
and has a regularly-updated list on its website of those which are available for sale or lease for a suitable list
Current examples include the Church of St James in Burrington
a Grade II-listed building on the market for £160,000 on the Herefordshire-Shropshire border which dates back to the 13th century and was built in its current form 1864
which is three miles away from the nearest village
is in the early English style with lancet windows and plate tracery – with the building also featuring 17th century ledger slabs and a Norman-style round arched head on the doorway
St Thomas' United Reformed Church in Watford closed in 2015 and is now becoming a mosque
A view inside St Thomas' Church in Watford seen in a promotional video from Ar-Rahmah Trust
The site layout for the planned Masjid Al-Ummah which is set to open in Watford in 2026
Also on the list is the former Church of St Leonard in St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex
which was built in 1953 to replace a previous 1834 church destroyed during the Second World War
Others include the Grade II*-listed St Paul's in Boughton
for £100,000; Carlisle Holy Trinity in Cumbria for £250,000; and Church Kirk St James in Blackburn
told MailOnline: 'The future of church buildings is the biggest heritage challenge facing the UK and the changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme by the Government have only exacerbated this
'Many of our church buildings are in a perilous state and are struggling to keep their doors open
It is local people who have to find the money
and now they're having to find even more to pay for VAT on top of the urgent repair costs to fix crumbling towers and leaking roofs
'These wonderful buildings are not just loved for their heritage
but they are often the only public building in the area and to lose them would be deeply felt in communities in every corner of the UK.'
'The Government needs to bring together Christian denominations and the tourism and heritage sectors and come up with a national plan for how we can protect these buildings
so we can keep them open for future generations to use and enjoy
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The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group
Jane Prinsley is the Investigations Correspondent at the Jewish Chronicle
Jane Prinsley
The Labour Party office in Chingford and Woodford Green was defaced with anti-Israel graffiti this weekend
photos emerged of the office in east London daubed with graffiti
reading “Isreal [sic] lobby out” and “UK MPs for UK Not Israel”
Labour activists scrubbed off the graffiti on Saturday morning
Labour’s new candidate for Chingford and Woodford Green
said: “This shameful vandalism is not just an attack on our campaign - it's an attack on our whole community
we will defeat the forces of hatred and antisemitism and take our positive message of change to residents here."
Faiza Shaheen had been expected to stand in Chingford and Woodford Green but was not endorsed by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) after she allegedly “liked” a series of social media posts that downplayed antisemitism accusations in Labour
The Jewish Labour Movement had reportedly received numerous complaints about Shaheen’s campaign from local members
Shaheen said on social media that Gaza was the “number one issue” on the voters’ doorsteps
she received an email to say she would be blocked from standing as a Labour candidate in the general election – a message she told BBC Newsnight she had received after the media were briefed
Shaheen was predicted to win on July 4 against long-time Conservative candidate
who has represented Chingford and Woodford Green
Labour endorsed Brent councillor and cabinet member Shama Tatler to stand for the seat
Antisemitic graffiti
Chingford and Woodford Green Labour Party
Nick Ferrari At Breakfast is Leading Britain's Conversation
The candidates for the upcoming General Election in Chingford and Woodford Green have been announced
The deadline for General Election candidates to be confirmed is Friday
The list of candidates confirmed as standing so far are:
Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of ‘culling’ left wing Labour members
Labour has ousted its candidate fighting the Chingford and Woodford Green seat days after she launched her general election campaign
Faiza Shaheen was not endorsed by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) after she allegedly liked a series of social media posts that downplayed antisemitism accusations
so will use this morning to meet with my campaign and legal teams to discuss my next steps
as well as have some hugs with my baby,” she said
thanked her supporters and said she would divulge more details about her treatment by the NEC “very soon”
Ms Shaheen was due to take on former Tory party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith in the marginal north east London constituency
She narrowly lost to him in the same seat at the 2019 general election
A Labour source confirmed to the Standard that Ms Shaheen had not been endorsed by the NEC and said “she will not be the Labour candidate” at the vote on July 4
She told BBC Newsnight she “thought” she was going to fight the constituency
but got an email on Wednesday evening that she said claimed she would “frustrate Labour’s purpose”
The programme heard she was called to a meeting with a panel of NEC members on Tuesday in which they highlighted posts which raised questions about her suitability as a candidate
One post said: “Every time you say something even mildly critical of Israel
you’re immediately assailed by scores of hysterical people who explain to you why you’re completely wrong
you can’t easily ignore them because those are not just random people
They tend to be friends or people who move in the same circles as you
Those people are mobilised by professional organisations.”
told Newsnight she does not remember liking the post in question
Committee will consider Scottish memorial project for late Queen
the line that’s there about ‘they’re in professional organisations’
it plays into a trope and I absolutely don’t agree with that and I’m sorry about that
“And I expressed that I was sorry in that meeting yesterday over my crying baby but that’s one tweet
“I’ve organised an interfaith vigil with a local Rabbi after the attacks
“Because everyone said I was the one socialist that was running
it was a surprise that I wasn’t blocked earlier
And of course they were going to come for me and I did something stupid and honestly I don’t remember liking that (tweet).”
Ms Shaheen also said she was in a “state of shock” and offered an emotional apology to her supporters
“There’s so many people that have helped me,” she said
“My phone is blowing up with local people trying to organise a rally and I just want to thank my old school teachers and the kids that came out tonight and I’m so sorry
I’m genuinely so sorry that it’s come to this
“I know you really wanted me to be your MP and I really wanted that too.”
Asked what she wants to say to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Ms Shaheen referenced Diane Abbott, whose fate as a prospective Labour candidate for Hackney North and Stoke Newington remains in doubt.
Ms Shaheen said: “On top of Gaza, on top of Diane Abbott and now this to me
when there’s such clear double standards of how other people have been treated when stuff has happened… what message are you sending my community
What message are you sending the black community?”
Mr Russell-Moyle said he had been suspended by the Labour Party over a complaint about his behaviour and told he will not be eligible to be a candidate in July’s general election
Jeremy Corbyn has also suggested Sir Keir is trying to "purge" the left wing of the party
Woodford Green Library and Gym reopened to the public on Tuesday 28 September
following the completion of a major £300,000 refurbishment
The investment in the new library and fitness facility
funded jointly by London Borough of Redbridge and Vision Redbridge Culture & Leisure
ensures residents will benefit from improved library and leisure facilities in the Woodford area for years to come
which was refurbished during its closure for much of the COVID-19 pandemic
study area and meeting space for group activities
The Centre now also boasts a brand-new fitness facility
including a 30-station gym with state-of-the-art equipment
both the library and gym will be open seven days a week to suit everyone’s lifestyle
“I’m pleased to announce the reopening of the newly refurbished Woodford Green Library and Gym
Not only can local people now enjoy the revitalised exercise and library facilities
but they can also take advantage of the new
The renovation works are part of our wider scheme of investment works across Redbridge’s leisure facilities
and we are delivering on our promise and investing in Woodford.”
Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance
“Over £300,000 has been invested in the upgrade of Woodford Green Library and Gym to provide local people with outstanding library facilities and a state-of-the-art gym
We understand just how vital local leisure facilities are to people’s wellbeing
and the importance of library facilities for children’s and adults’ continued learning
That is why Woodford Green Library and Gym is the latest leisure facility in Redbridge to have benefited from investment.”
Library members can now access nearly eight million items of stock
while also accessing libraries which are part of The Libraries Consortium across London and the South East
which can be used by members or on a pay and play basis
has a range of cardiovascular and weight training equipment
and cutting-edge technology with skill mill treadmills and a power plate
pools and studio classes across Vision’s facilities - Fullwell Cross Leisure Centre
South Woodford Library and Gym and Wanstead Leisure Centre
For more information, and for opening offers now available for the new gym, visit: www.visionrcl.org.uk/woodford
Photo shows Cllrs Kam Rai (left) and Jas Athwal visiting the gym.