Not even London is a Labour stronghold anymore
Labour is facing significant losses in the 2026 English local elections, particularly in its traditional stronghold of London. The party is projected to lose multiple councils to the Greens, Reform UK, and independent candidates. These shifts indicate a growing political fragmentation and declining dominance for Labour across the capital and beyond.
- ▪Labour could lose up to 1,800 councillors in the 2026 English local elections.
- ▪According to a YouGov poll, Labour may lose control of six London councils, including Hackney, Waltham Forest, Lambeth, Lewisham, Barking and Dagenham, and Barnet.
- ▪The Green Party is expected to win the highest share of votes in south London, while Reform UK is projected to gain support in outer-east London boroughs like Havering, Bexley, and Bromley.
- ▪Labour currently holds 49 of 54 seats in Lewisham and 54 of 63 in Lambeth, but both councils are now at risk of Green Party gains.
- ▪Independent candidates, particularly the Newham Independents, may also make gains in east London, where significant portions of the population identify as Muslim or of Bangladeshi heritage.
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Not even London is a Labour stronghold anymore Keir Starmer is under siege from all directions, in every part of the country. i Picture by: Getty dataLayer.push({ event: 'author', author: "Rakib Ehsan" }) Rakib Ehsan Columnist 4th May 2026 i Picture by: Getty Share Topics Politics UK Want unlimited, ad-free access? Become a spiked supporter. Some forecasts predict that the Labour Party could lose as many as 1,800 councillors in this week’s English local elections. It is also on the verge of suffering its worst result in London for decades. According to a poll published in April by YouGov, Labour stands to lose control of six councils across the capital. Four of these – Hackney, Waltham Forest, Lambeth and Lewisham – are likely to be lost to the Greens.
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