The local elections that took place on 1 May saw Reform perform particularly strongly, but amidst the gloom, the strong showing of left Independent councillors in Lancashire offered a shaft of light for an alternative future. Michael Lavalette spoke with recently-elected Lancashire county councillors Almas Razakazi and Maheen Kamran about what motivated them to take on the establishment parties.

Can you start by telling us a little about your background and why you decided to stand?

AR: I suppose for a long time I’ve been on social media, appalled by the events taking place in the world, but not directly involved in ‘politics’. I was involved with charity work addressing the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and youth work in my community but not ‘politics’ as such. But gradually I became involved directly in political activities as a result of the smear campaigns against Jeremy Corbyn, the BLM movement – where I spoke at a rally for the first time ever! – the Covid scandal and then the Palestine movement.

It was Palestine that was the tipping point into regular political activity. I joined the national and local marches. I was involved in a range of activities and fundraisers and last year I was involved in the general-election campaign with Preston Independents.

The scale and the depth of the Palestine movement provides us, in my opinion, with the opportunity and the resources to build a sustained challenge to the establishment parties and to demand that we put people before profit.

MK: My dad is heavily involved in our local community and he inspired me to try to make a difference in the world. At the age of fifteen, I joined Burnley Youth Council. I’m the youngest councillor elected (I’m just eighteen) but I was born and raised in central Burnley and I see firsthand the challenges our community faces: poverty, poor housing, lack of opportunities for young people. Daily life is hard for people and I’m determined to speak up and speak out for the people I represent.

Picking up on Maheen’s point, you both represent very poor parts of Preston and Burnley. What are the burning issues that need addressing?

MK: The area I represent has some of the worst health, poverty and inequality data in the country. Health and social care is in crisis, mental-health services are overstretched, all of which leaves people without the support they desperately need. Our schools are underfunded, our environment under huge pressures. These are not just abstract political problems, they are the everyday realities of working people in this country.

AR: The issues in Preston are remarkably similar: poverty, poor-paying jobs, crumbling services and a real housing crisis with a choice between unaffordable mortgages or unaffordable rents. The cost-of-living crisis is really pushing people to the edge and the Labour government seems determined to implement even more austerity.

The danger is that, if we don’t get organised and offer an anti-establishment alternative, Reform will gain a hearing and start to put down roots, but that will mean more racism and more division in our communities.

On the Reform question, they now control Lancashire County Council. How do we effectively oppose them?

AR: I think we have to do three things really. First, as councillors, we have to hold them to account. They have claimed to oppose the two-child benefit cap, and promised to build new schools. Fine, let’s see how they turn their words into actions. They are also threatening jobs and more privatisation and we must oppose that.

Second, we have to link our work in the council to protests in the communities against the consequences of their actions. We need to link with the unions, the community groups and be part of any and all campaigns to defend services and oppose racism and division.

Third, we need to show in practice that we represent people better, that we really are the anti-establishment voice.

MK: I’m determined to deliver for the people who elected me, to show that I can be a councillor who is always around, putting their interests first and working hard to improve people’s lives and community. We will challenge Reform if it promotes discrimination or racism in anyway, or if it fails to deliver the respect, rights and resources our communities rightfully deserve.

How can we spread the example from Preston and Burnley and ensure we have similar councillors across the country?

MK: I think we have a responsibility to lead with integrity and show what’s possible when councillors are truly rooted in their communities. You can’t just show up at election time, you need to be part of the fabric in our communities, living the lives of people in the area and prepared to listen and act.

AR: I agree. We need to be out and about in our communities. We need to speak to people who might not be as engaged with ‘politics’. Many people get turned away by official politics, but politics is everyday life: it’s about work, housing, racism, lack of leisure facilities, lack of public transport etc and most people have opinions on all of these!

But I also think we are stronger together. Pulling the Independent Network together across the country will make us much, much stronger – it will give us a national as well as a local focus and lay the foundations for a real challenge to the political mainstream.