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Queen's Park by-election won by Labour
A by-election contested in the Queen's Park ward has been won by the Labour candidate.
Cllr Patricia McAllister will join current ward members Cllr Barrie Taylor and Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, who is also the Westminster Labour group leader.
She picked up 814 votes in yesterday's election, or 63 per cent of the vote.
Conservative party candidate Abdul Ahad came in second with 211 votes (16 per cent), Green party candidate Susanna Rustin was third choice with 152 votes (12 per cent) and Liberal Democrat candidate Mark Blackburn was fourth with 123 votes (nine per cent).
Now elected, Cllr McAllister, 50, of Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale, hopes to follow in the footsteps of Cllr Mushtaq Qureshi, a Labour councillor who served the ward for 15 years.
The by-election was contested following his death earlier this year.
She said: "I was really sad to hear of the death of Cllr Qureshi. He did a terrific job in the ward."
While in the post Cllr McAllister, a married mother-of-one, aims to tackle the inequalities of wealth that exist within the borough.
She said: "There's quite a lot of poverty in the area, which is something myself and my fellow councillors will be addressing.
"We also want to get some jobs into the neighbourhood.
"I've lived in the area for 25 years, so I know its problems as well as its good points.
Other concerns include creating a safer Queen's Park by helping cut antisocial behaviour and introducing more police community support officers.
Before retiring in September, Cllr McAllister worked as a receptionist at Paddington Green Health Centre, in Princess Louise Close, Paddington, and for the Government's department for work and pensions, specialising in the benefits system.
She has also carried out voluntary work for Westminster Advocacy for Senior Residents, helping disabled people cope with daily life and for a special needs group helping families with their education, housing, employment and care needs.
Cllr Dimoldenberg offered his congratulations.
He said: "This is a fantastic result for Labour's Patricia McAllister and is all down to her hard work and that of Karen Buck MP and the Labour team.
"This is also a fitting tribute to the late Councillor Mushtaq Qureshi to whom we dedicate this brilliant result."
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Well done Susanna Rustin of the Greens for beating the Lib Dems into 4th choice when the Greens had never stood before.
This gives a boost for the Green Party in the Queen's Park Brent wards for the forthcoming local and parliamentary elections.
Congratulations Patricia,I just heard the news off George once again well done.Peter