Current interim leader Ergin Erbil will be taking on the role permanently after winning backing from the Enfield Labour group, reports James Cracknell

Ergin Erbil has been selected by his Labour colleagues to become the next leader of Enfield Council, the Dispatch understands.

The current deputy leader at Enfield Civic Centre has been filling in on an interim basis for Nesil Caliskan since the former leader stood down last month following her election as an MP for Barking in July.

At a full council meeting taking place at the civic centre tomorrow evening (Wednesday 18th) from 7pm, Cllr Erbil is due to be officially appointed as leader in a vote of all councillors.

Cllr Erbil has represented Edmonton Green ward since May 2018 and has been deputy leader of the council since May 2022.

The 29-year-old’s current day jobs include working in pest control and beekeeping, with his register of interests listing him as a director of both Valley Guard Pest Control and Lee Valley Honey. It’s not clear whether he will now give these roles up to focus on running Enfield Council.

While both Camden and Redbridge councils appointed new leaders before the end of July, after also seeing their previous leaders become MPs at the general election earlier that month, Enfield Labour has instead taken ten weeks to decide on its new leader.

It follows a summer of speculation about who might succeed Cllr Caliskan, with several other names rumoured to have been in the running, including Tim Leaver, Susan Erbil, Sabri Ozaydin and Josh Abey.

However, it’s not known whether any of these councillors ended up challenging Cllr Erbil at last week’s Labour group meeting, which confirmed him as the new leader, or whether he ran unopposed. Two Labour councillors contacted by the Dispatch this week have not responded to questions about the meeting.

Cllr Caliskan, meanwhile, is continuing to double up as a councillor and MP, although she has said she would not be claiming her councillor’s allowance from the period after her election to parliament.

Update (23rd September):

Ergin Erbil’s council register of interests has now been updated and no longer lists him as a director of any company, nor as having any outside employment.

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