The Green Party has secured control of Waltham Forest Council, marking their first ever council victory in London during the 2026 local elections. The Greens gained the council from Labour by winning 31 seats out of 60, while Labour suffered a significant loss of 29 seats, reducing their hold to just 15. Green Party leader Zack Polanski declared that "the new politics is the Green Party versus Reform."
Full Election Results
All 60 seats on Waltham Forest Council were contested, with each ward represented by either two or three councillors. The wards in the borough include Cann Hall, Chapel End, Chingford Green, Forest, Grove Green, Hatch Lane & Highams Park North, High Street, Higham Hill, Hoe Street, Larkswood, Lea Bridge, Leyton, Leytonstone, St James, Valley, William Morris, Cathall, Endlebury, Hale End & Highams Park South, Markhouse, Upper Walthamstow, and Wood Street.
Green Party Gains Mayoralties
In addition to the council victory, the Green Party now holds two new mayoral positions. Zoe Garbett won in Hackney with 35,720 votes, defeating former Labour mayor Caroline Woodley who received 26,685 votes. Liam Shrivastava won in Lewisham with 35,265 votes, beating Labour's Amanda De Ryk (30,374 votes) and Reform UK's Pete Newman (7,288 votes). Both Hackney and Lewisham were previously Labour mayoralties, highlighting the significant losses for the governing party.
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan described the election results as "bitterly disappointing for Labour," acknowledging that Londoners are "frustrated." The results reflect a broader shift in voter sentiment across the capital.
