The leader of Harrow Borough Council has spoken to the Harrow Times about his plans for the authority after splitting from the ruling Labour party and dismissing the cabinet last week.

Thaya Idaikkadar announced his new cabinet yesterday which features five members of the new independent Labour group and includes two non-voting members from the Conservative party.

Why did you split from your party and create your own cabinet? How was racism an issue?

Council Leader Thaya Idaikkadar: “I did this because Harrow deserves better than it has been getting and we want to do what is best for the borough. Our cabinet has the right people to do the best job.

“Racism is defined by how another person makes you feel. I haven’t been given a reason why there was a challenge against my leadership, so therefore I felt it was the only possible reason was for it.”

What do you hope to achieve by splitting from your old party and creating a new cabinet?

He said: “Rather than party politics I want our group to do what is right and I want to help people in Harrow who are in need.

"You can spend three hours trying to decide where the Christmas meal will be. I think we will be able to achieve more like this than with party politics, and we will be able to actually make some decisions.”

Will there be any policy changes with this new cabinet? If so what policies will you change?

“What I want to do is give a voice to both political sides and I think it will be good for democracy. And if someone from either party has a good idea I will listen to them.

“There are elements I want to re-examine, such as housing and street cleaning but we have agreed a two-year budget and corporate plan which will continue.”

What do you want to say to people in Harrow who have voted Labour and now find a Conservative backed administration in charge? How do you justify this agreement?

“We are still members of the Labour party, we have not left so we will continue with the Labour Polices.

“People don’t vote for Labour councillors, they voted for Labour policies and we will not be changing them. Labour policies will be in place so they have nothing to worry about.

Will there be any by-elections as a result of your actions?

“We have no plans for by-elections. They cost the taxpayer thousands and unless something happens we don’t believe there will be any.”

What do you want to say to the Harrow Labour group?

“It is their own fault really. They should have been more willing to listen to people and been more open. Party politics has gone too far and what should be important are the interests of the people of Harrow.”

Yesterday leader of the Harrow Labour Group, Councillor David Perry strongly denied any accusations of racisism or discrimination over his leadership challenge.