Cllr Hamish McCallum is taking over as Southwark Lib Dem leader The leader of the opposition in Southwark has stepped down after ten and a half months due to “growing work and professional commitments”. Liberal Democrat Councillor Nick Johnson became leader in June of last year when Cllr Anood Al-Samerai stepped down after a decade. The group announced on Monday (April 26) that North Bermondsey ward Cllr Hamish McCallum will replace Cllr Johnson. Cllr McCallum, a trained lawyer who has worked with victims of the Grenfell Tower fire, has been chief whip for the Southwark Lib Dem group for three years.