The results of this year's local elections in London have shattered historical records, revealing stark contrasts in how parties performed in the capital compared to the rest of England.
Labour's Stronghold in London
Labour successfully defended a higher percentage of its seats in London than elsewhere. Sir Keir Starmer's party retained 67% of the council seats it held in the capital before the elections, compared to just 30% outside London. This highlights Labour's relative resilience in London despite broader challenges.
Reform UK's Struggles in the Capital
Reform UK won only 5% of the seats it contested in London, a stark contrast to its 43% success rate outside the capital. Despite this, Reform secured its first council in London, gaining control in Havering.
Greens and Lib Dems Make Gains
The Green Party won 19% of seats they contested in London, outperforming their 10% rate elsewhere. They achieved historic firsts by winning outright majorities in Hackney, Lewisham, and Waltham Forest. The Liberal Democrats secured 13.4% of seats, while Aspire took 1.8%.
Conservative Performance
The Conservatives defended 46% of their seats outside London, but in the capital, they saw a net increase of 6% in councillor numbers. Their overall seat share in London rose slightly to 22.4%, up from 22.2% in 2022.
Record Diversity and No Overall Control
Nearly four in 10 council seats (39.3%) in London were won by parties other than Labour or the Conservatives, more than double the 14.1% in 2022 and the highest since modern local government began in 1964. This shift has left nine London councils in no overall control—a record. Eight were previously Labour-held (Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Haringey, Lambeth, Newham, Southwark, Wandsworth), while Croydon remains in no overall control. The previous record of eight was set in 2006.
Labour now holds a majority on only nine of London's 32 borough councils, down from 21 in 2022 and the lowest since 2006, when it had seven. The results underscore a historic fragmentation of London's political landscape.
