Labour has retained control of Ealing Council following the 2026 local elections, but the party lost 13 seats in a night that saw cabinet members and long-serving councillors defeated. This marks Labour's historic fifth consecutive term in governance, though the result was bittersweet as Labour candidates, councillors, and activists were seen in tears, with some expressing shock and saying "this isn't working."
Liberal Democrats and Greens Make Gains
The Liberal Democrats saw a surge in their representation, gaining seven seats to reach a total of 13 councillors. The Green Party also celebrated a strong performance, gaining five new councillors. The Conservatives saw no net change from the 2022 elections, maintaining five seats. An independent candidate also secured one seat.
Prominent Labour figures lost their seats, including Gareth Shaw, the Chief Whip, and Polly Knewstub, the Cabinet Member for Healthy Equal Lives. The longest-serving councillor, Anthony Young, a Conservative, lost his seat after 48 years on the council.
Key Ward Results
- The Greens won all three seats in Hanwell Broadway.
- The Conservatives secured all three seats in North Greenford, a shock result that saw Labour lose its hold there.
Turnout and Candidate Numbers
The turnout was 43.54% of 250,275 eligible voters, an increase of 3.23% compared to 2022. This year saw the largest number of candidates ever to stand in the borough, with 367 candidates across 24 wards, compared to 264 in 2022. It was also the highest number of candidates of any London borough this year.
Unlike the 2022 elections, Labour faced a resurgent Green Party, Reform UK, and a new local independent party backed by Jeremy Corbyn. The Ealing Community Independents, formed to challenge Labour's dominance, failed to win a seat.
Labour Leader's Response
When asked what went wrong for Labour, Council Leader Cllr Peter Mason told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Well, I think you have to look at the national picture. You have to look at the situation that we find ourselves in. In any election cycle where you have a government in power nationally, it is always the trend that in local government the ruling party tends to do less well and that is because we have a government that has inherited 14 years of mess from the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives and they have had just two short years to steady the ship."
Cllr Mason saw his personal vote share in Southall Green plummet by 44%. He said: "The election is free and fair and people are entirely entitled to express their opinion. I think we have to look at the trend across London and we have to look at the trend in the UK. We're absolutely committed to making sure that we represent the incredible people of Southall and we deliver for them on all the promises that we've made. Elections come every four years and I'm totally hopeful that in four years time we'll be able to secure that important historic sixth consecutive election and perhaps even get more councillors."
Final Seat Breakdown
- Labour: 46 (-13)
- Liberal Democrats: 13 (+7)
- Greens: 5 (+5)
- Conservatives: 5 (no change)
- Independent: 1 (+1)
