The Twickenham and Richmond Tribune is emerging as the main opposition to a LibDem Council which has no elected representatives from other parties. Reporting on the Council Meeting on 5 October 2026 James Knight wrote:

In most council chambers, an administration congratulating itself can expect somebody
opposite to enquire what went wrong, what it cost and whether the results justified the
expense. Richmond, having no elected opposition, must rely upon Liberal Democrat councillors
to perform this occasionally disagreeable duty themselves. The evening even featured a motion
defending public participation in planning, a splendid principle which sat rather awkwardly
alongside the Mayor’s earlier determination to shut down Martin Baker’s supplementary
question.

Poor old Roberts must be discovering that governing is considerably less comfortable than
campaigning. The Mansion Tax has become an awkward inheritance, immigration may yet
present another test, and his two political offices have produced no published written question
about extending the West London Orbital to Twickenham. Meanwhile, Richmond’s council
chamber remains a wonderfully harmonious place, where Liberal Democrats congratulate one
another, political opponents receive a thorough dressing down and the occasional troublesome
resident is reminded of the rules.

The message from Richmond Town Hall appears reassuringly simple: everyone is welcome to
ask questions, provided they do not ask anything too difficult.

See http://www.twickenhamtribune.com republished with permission