Labour has failed to recover ground in a string of local by-elections in London, only weeks after they were hammered at the ballot box.
Votes were held in five London council wards on Thursday after a number of successful candidates in May’s local elections quit within days of the poll.
Two by-elections were held in Haringey and another two in Hackney, while one took place in Ealing.
Four of the by-elections went the way of the Green Party, with Labour winning one in Haringey.
The overall results mirror the outcome in the May 7 local elections, although the Northumberland Park and Woodside in Haringey both flipped between the two parties.
Turnout fell as low as 13.8% in Dalston, Hackney.
As many as nine by-elections have been scheduled in London within just weeks of the local elections, at a collective cost to taxpayers in excess of £200,000.
Benjamin Elks, grassroots development manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: “Anyone unwilling or unable to serve should never have stood for election in the first place.
“Walking away early leaves taxpayers funding avoidable by-elections and residents without the representation they were promised.”
Kevin Hollinrake MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party, said: “It is shameful that, less than two months after the local elections, Londoners are already being dragged back to the polls because Green councillors don’t want the job they were elected to do.”
The latest took place just days after Sir Keir Starmer quit as Prime Minister, with newly-elected MP Andy Burnham widely expected to replace him in Number 10.
Here is a full rundown of the results, and why the by-elections were held in the first place.
Northumberland Park (Haringey)
Green Party candidate Jayon Henriques was elected in Northumberland Park on May 7, but was found to be ineligible to serve as a councillor. The party did not disclosed the reason for this.
By-election results:
Ajda Ovat (Labour) ELECTED with 877 votes.
Rose Dakuo (Green) - 839
Ian David Sinclair (Reform) - 106
Kenny Ajao (Conservative) - 98
David Schmitz (Lib Dem) - 60
Turnout: 1989 (22.35%)
Woodside (Haringey)
Labour’s Hasret Bozdogan was elected in Haringey's Woodside ward in last month’s poll, but chose to step down for “personal reasons that transpired after 7 May”.
By-election results:
Elara Shurety (Green) ELECTED with 1,033 votes
Thayahlan Iyngkaran (Labour) - 978
Ruth Price (Reform) - 171
Mikeleno Fureraj (Conservative)
Rakeebah Rahim (Lib Dem) - 93
Turnout: 2,400 (24.35%)
The political makeup of the council following these results is:
* Green: 28
* Labour: 21
* Liberal Democrat: 8
This means the council remains under no overall control, with the Greens running the borough as a minority administration.
North Acton (Ealing)
Simon Anthony (Green Party) was elected on May 7 in Ealing's Acton North ward. He is believed to have quit due to ill health.
By-election results:
Marijn van de Geer (Green) ELECTED with 804 votes.
Gareth James Shaw (Labour) – 642
Abdi Ahmed (Lib Dem) – 523
Jonathan Notley (Reform) - 309
Sally Gorman (Conservative) – 257 votes
Craig Smith (Ealing Community Independents - Putting Acton First) – 129
Voter turnout was 24.21%.
The political makeup of the council following these results is:
* Labour: 46
* Liberal Democrats: 13
* Green: 5
* Independent: 1
This means the council remains under Labour control.
Dalston (Hackney)
Zoë Garbett (Green Party) was elected mayor in Hackney and was also also re-elected to her Dalston seat. She had to vacate her seat as she is not allowed to hold both roles.
By-election results:
Manal Massalha (Green) ELECTED with 549 votes
Grace Adebayo (Labour) - 342
Ivon Fleming (Reform) - 26
Peter Munrow (Lib Dem) - 24
Jerry Sulaiman (Conservative) 10
Turnout: 13.81%
Hackney Central (Hackney)
James Tilden (Green Party) was elected to the Hackney Central ward but was ineligible due to the fact he is a teacher.
By-election results:
Noah Kirksted-Breen (Green): 676
Sheila Suso-Runge (Labour): 624
Ken Gabbott-Rolph (Lib Dem): 83
Vahid Almasi (Reform): 59
Serhan Bay (Conservative): 49
Turnout: 15.16%
The political makeup of the council following these results is:
Greens: 42
Labour: 9
Conservatives: 6
This means the council remains under the control of the Green Party.
