Craig Smith is leader of Ealing Community Independents – a new political party, here to contest the local elections on May 7 and bring fresh ideas to the borough.

Full statement

For too long, Ealing Council has been run by a single party that consistently fails residents: they break promises, they don't listen, they fail to consult properly, and they cut our public services while increasing council tax.

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Craig has lived in Ealing for more than 25 years – helping bring up two children through local authority schools. A proud community campaigner and trade unionist, he is committed to equality, justice, peace and human rights.

He believes key local decisions should be participatory – shaped with, not done to, residents and workers.

Craig is a founder of the Save Ealing Children’s Centres campaign, a former school governor, and serves as an officer of Ealing Trades Union Council. He is a former business journalist and now strategic communications director, with experience working collaboratively at a senior level within large, matrixed organisations.

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Ealing Community Independents is a people-led local party committed to putting residents’ voices and choices first, in every neighbourhood from Acton to Southall.

We exist to challenge a council culture that answers upward to Westminster parties instead of outward to local people. We will replace it with accountable, independent, community-rooted representatives.

Ealing Community Independents believe the current system is broken and that existing political parties are not doing enough to support everyone in our society.

We will offer the people of Ealing an alternative at the next council elections in May 2026. We will be your voice, your party, representing your choices. We will commit to bring public services, jobs and power back to those who have been neglected.

Ealing Community Independents stand for investment in public services – not cuts, closures or privatisation. We stand for equality and social justice. We will champion social housing and investment for our youth.