Conservatives take back City of Westminster from Labour
Reform and Greens won no seats
Friday, 8th May — By Tom Foot
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch: “We are back”
THE Conservative Party won back its former stronghold from Labour on an election night where no one seemed particularly happy.
Westminster Tories were run closer than expected in some of the key wards and were clearly rattled by the massive surge in popularity for Reform UK across the country.
In Westminster however, Nigel Farage’s party candidates failed to secure more than 200-300 votes each – nowhere near close to the winning line to take a seat.
The Green vote rose signfiicantly taking a dent in the number for Labour which were beaten, but not obliterated.
Labour now in opposition has 22 seats – just six less that what it had in power – while the Conservatives now have 32, up eight on the 2022 election.
There were no wins for the Greens or the Lim Dems despite claims that the country’s two-party politics was over.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch turned up in the morning to support the Westminster after a long night.
“We have done brilliantly. We were told we would be wiped out.
“The Conservatives are coming back.
“I promised to renew this party. You can see those signs of renewal.
“This is the beginning not the end. We’re coming back to get Britain working again.”
Conservative Leader Cllr Paul Swaddle said: “It is the privilege of my life to be elected leader of Westminster City Council.
This administration will be focused on listening to residents and delivering on their priorities – safe streets, a clean city and real action on issues such as graffiti and dockless bikes.
“I have on day one, as promised to residents, appointed Cllr Caroline Sargent as Cabinet Member Elect for Enforcement so local people can be certain they are getting value for money and results on issues such as anti-social behaviour. I will be announcing the rest of the Cabinet shortly.”
The count at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Hall to Belgravia Square, Belgravia, through Friday morning around 6am.
Talking points included the borough’s cycling safety supremo Max Sullivan losing a tight contest in Bayswater, Labour leader Adam Hug easily retaining his seat and Alan Mendoza, who defected from Conservative to Reform, losing out despite Farage’s party posting significant gains nationally.
The West End ward went back to blue following the Labour clean sweep in 2022.
The Soho Society’s former chair Tim Lord, standing as a Labour candidate for the first time, did not get elected in West End ward.
Labour’s Patrick Lilley lost out in teh ward while former Labour-turned-Tory Paul Fisher won as a Conservative, alongisde Elizabeth Amos and Tim Barnes.
Pimlico North was the tightest contest with all three Labour candidates pitting the Conservatives rivals by just 40 votes.
Hyde Park ward – one of 2022’s biggest surprises is now split with two Conservative and one Labour.
Little Venice was another close contest edged by the Conservatives this time and the Lib Dems did well in Marylebone but not enough to get a first seat on the council.
It is not clear what Labour leader Adam Hug plans to do now.
After the results, he said: “The result in Westminster is understandably a difficult moment for the Labour Party in our city, despite the enormous efforts of all our amazing candidates and activists.
“While we can take pride in what we have been able to achieve over the last four years in power, it will be important to reflect and learn how to do better in the future.
“In any local election there are a mix of local and national factors.
“However what is clear is that, compared to the previous election in 2022, the Green vote in a number of Labour/Conservative battleground seats substantially exceeded the winning totals.
“This is clearly something that will need to be considered both locally and nationally in the weeks ahead.
“For the good of the city and our residents we wish the new administration well in their stewardship of Westminster. We will, of course, diligently hold them to account, and stand up for local people and our Labour values in the months ahead as we rebuild.
“I want to put on record again my enormous thanks to everyone who voted Labour at this election and to those who worked so hard to achieve a different result.”
For all the ward breakdown see
