Hackbridge already has an incinerator a dysfunctional heat network and a proposed massive food waste plant supported by the Liberal Democrat’s Now if you thought things could not get any worse. Enter serial Lib Dem “ward tourist” Dr. Brendan Hudson.
After stepping down as Sutton Mayor and Councillor back in 2012 (because apparently, health boards were more important than the people who actually elected him), Dr. Brendan Hudson solemnly vowed in 2018 to “get back into politics.”
Clearly, “getting back” to Dr. Hudson means never staying in the same ward twice.
Nothing says “dedicated public servant” quite like treating council seats like Airbnbs: one failed booking, and it’s time to pack your bags and move down the road!
Here is the official itinerary of the Brendan Hudson Ward Tour:
STOP 1: Beddington North Ward (2018)
First appearance on the comeback stage.
Dr. Hudson rolls up as the Liberal Democrat candidate, full of former-mayor swagger. He teams up with self-appointed Beddington “champions” Cllr Pat Ali and Cllr Nighat Piracha.
The Lib Dems ran a massive leaflet campaign claiming credit for things they were never involved in—even taking credit for installing pedestrian crossings that had never actually been built.
- The Result: It failed miserably. Ali and Piracha lost their seats entirely, and Dr. Hudson was pushed into an embarrassing 6th place with just 713 votes
- Irony Level: Expert.
Undeterred! One ward down, plenty more to fail in. Pack the yellow rosette, we’re off!
STOP 2: Carshalton South & Clockhouse Ward (2022)
Moving up the Stafford Road (because why change your postcode when you can just change your constituency?).
Fresh from his Beddington thumping, our intrepid explorer tried his luck again.
- The Result: 1,523 votes. Still not elected. The seats went to two Conservatives and one other Lib Dem who somehow managed to out-poll him.
- The £20,000 Insult: The Liberal Democrat who was elected, Amy Haldane, quickly decided she didn’t actually like the work involved with being a councillor and stopped turning up to the Council. This forced a by-election that cost local taxpayers £20,000.
STOP 3: Hackbridge (2026)
Now he’s gone full east, because apparently, Sutton’s wards form a perfect escape route.
After two spectacular failures and more than a decade since he last held a seat, Brendan Hudson is back on the leaflet trail. He is now the Liberal Democrat candidate for Hackbridge, promising whatever former mayors promise when they’re door-knocking in a brand-new neighbourhood.
The Hackbridge Reality Check
This is where the political tourism stops being funny and starts being insulting.
Dr. Hudson is a medical doctor. Yet, he is lured back by the “joy of politics” to represent a Lib Dem party that built a primary school just 700 metres from the Beddington incinerator. How did his party justify this? By using a flawed air quality assessment that practically pretended the massive, toxic incinerator next door didn’t exist.
Irony Level: Off the charts.
The Longest Game of Musical Chairs in London
Dr. Brendan Hudson: former Mayor, former Councillor, current professional ward tourist.
His political strategy appears to be:
- Lose badly.
- Move a couple of miles.
- Repeat until a seat accidentally falls into his lap or retirement finally catches up.
It’s not just politics anymore. It’s performance art. It’s the longest, slowest, most polite game of electoral musical chairs in London history.
Hackbridge deserves a dedicated local champion—not a politician looking for a consolation prize.
