▁London ▁government ▁ ▁F let cher ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁Cam den ▁London ▁Bor ough ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁along ▁with ▁Ken ▁Living stone ▁who ▁he ▁became ▁al lied ▁to ▁in ▁Labour ▁politics . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁he ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁Cam den ' s ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁Inner ▁London ▁Education ▁Author ity . ▁When ▁the ▁left ▁took ▁over ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁he ▁became ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Further ▁and ▁High er ▁Education ▁Sub - Com mit te e ▁of ▁I LE A ▁after ▁failing ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Deput y ▁Le ad ership . ▁ ▁Le ad ership ▁ ▁When ▁I LE A ▁was ▁turned ▁into ▁a ▁directly ▁elected ▁body ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁F let cher ▁stood ▁down ▁from ▁Cam den ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁I LE A ▁member ▁for ▁Hol born ▁and ▁St . ▁P anc ras . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁F let cher ▁challeng ed ▁Frances ▁Mor rell ▁who ▁had ▁become ▁un pop ular ▁with ▁the ▁teaching ▁un ions ▁over ▁staff ing ▁issues , ▁and ▁defeated ▁her ▁for ▁the ▁leadership ▁by ▁ 2 3 ▁votes ▁to ▁ 2 2 . ▁His ▁leadership ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁being ▁to ▁the ▁left ▁of ▁Mrs ▁Mor rell ' s , ▁but ▁was ▁domin ated ▁by ▁the ▁fight ▁to ▁stop ▁I LE A ' s ▁abol ition .