Residents in Tower Hamlets have cast their ballots in the 2026 mayoral election, with Lutfur Rahman of the Aspire party securing a decisive victory. He won 38.75% of the vote, finishing more than 16,000 votes ahead of his closest rival. The competition for second place was remarkably tight, with Labour's Sirajul Islam narrowly edging out the Green Party's Hirra Khan Adeogun by a margin of just 0.25%.
Background and Role
The successful candidate provides strategic leadership to Tower Hamlets London Borough Council and holds ultimate responsibility for policy decisions and service delivery. Prior to the election, the position was occupied by Aspire's Lutfur Rahman, who secured victory in 2022. The Mayor of Tower Hamlets role was transformed into a politically empowered position in 2010, having previously served a purely ceremonial function.
Election Details
Nine candidates competed for the mayoralty in the 2026 race, with Mr Rahman seeking re-election. Tower Hamlets residents simultaneously elected 45 councillors to the borough council in local elections, which are still being counted. Mayoral contests occurred in six locations, with local elections conducted concurrently across England, featuring over 5,000 council seats contested in 136 local authorities.
Aspire's Lutfur Rahman retained his position with 38.8% of the vote. The complete results breakdown is below.
Other London Results
Elsewhere in London, the Greens and Reform have both taken control of councils for the first time. Hackney and Waltham Forest have been won by the Greens, while Reform has a majority at Havering. The Green Party has won its first directly elected local mayors in London, in Hackney and Lewisham.
Zoe Garbett took 47% of the votes in Hackney, defeating Labour incumbent Caroline Woodley, who won 36%. At Lewisham, Liam Shrivastava won 40% of the vote, ahead of Labour candidate Amanda De Ryk on 35%. In both boroughs, Labour had previously held the post of mayor continuously since the positions were created in 2002.
Labour has lost overall control in London of two councils where it had enjoyed a majority since 1971: Haringey and Newham. The Liberal Democrats have won every one of the 54 seats at Richmond-upon-Thames, the first time in history the party has made a clean sweep of a council in London.
