Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Comment
Mark Blunden and Rachelle Abbott

The Leader podcast: Labour’s Westminster takeover makes history

Sadiq Khan with Adam Hug, the new Labour leader of Westminster Council (Jonathan Brady/PA)

(Picture: PA Wire)

Something unusual happened across London in the early hours of Friday.

Three of the capital’s flagship, long-held Conservative councils were seized by Labour in the UK local elections.

Wandsworth went red for the first time in 44 years and so did Barnet - but the biggest shock was the flagship council of Westminster, which is under new management as Labour took control after the Conservatives ruled since 1964.

Although Sir Keir Starmer’s party failed to make larger gains outside of the capital, the Liberal Democrats also enjoyed a strong night.

Now there remains a single blue redoubt in the centre of the capital and that’s Kensington & Chelsea, while the Tories also held Bexley, Hillingdon and many commuter belt councils neighbouring the outer boroughs.

So what does it mean for services and council tax in the likes of Wandsworth, always trumpeting its status as the council with England’s lowest rates.

To examine what all this means for the country’s political map - and the prime minister’s future - we’re joined by the Standard’s deputy political editor, David Bond, who’s been on the election trail speaking to voters in Wandsworth.

Listen here, or here:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.