Key Points
- Barnet did not produce an overall winner in the 2026 council election.
- Labour and the Conservatives finished level on 31 seats each in the 63-seat council.
- Labour lost its majority after the vote on Thursday 7 May 2026.
- The Green Party won one seat, giving it a presence on the council.
- London-wide, the 2026 local elections saw major gains for the Greens, Reform UK and the Conservatives in several boroughs.
- More than six million Londoners were eligible to vote in the council elections across all 32 boroughs.
Barnet (North London News) May 15, 2026 — Barnet returned no overall winner in the 2026 council election after Labour lost its majority and the result ended in a hung council, with Labour and the Conservatives each on 31 seats.
What happened in Barnet?
As reported by the Independent, Barnet was among the London councils left in no overall control after the 2026 local elections, with Labour losing the majority it previously held.
The borough’s outcome was part of a wider pattern across London, where several Labour-held councils saw significant losses. PollCheck’s Barnet results page also recorded the council as leaving Labour without control, while the seat totals showed the Conservatives on 31 seats and Labour on 31 seats.
Who won the seats?
According to the results reported in the search material, the Conservatives won 31 seats, Labour won 31 seats, and the Green Party won 1 seat.
That left Barnet without any single party able to form a majority on its own. The reported result means coalition talks, agreements or minority administration arrangements would be needed if the council is to be run by one political grouping.
When were the elections held?
The London local elections were held on Thursday 7 May 2026, with more than six million Londoners eligible to vote.
All 32 London boroughs were up for election, and five boroughs also held mayoral contests: Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham and Tower Hamlets. The election formed part of a wider set of local polls across England.
How did this fit across London?
The Barnet result came during a difficult night for Labour across the capital, with the party losing ground in several boroughs.
The Greens gained control or major influence in places including Hackney and Lewisham, while the Conservatives regained Westminster City Council and held several other boroughs. The Independent also reported that Barnet was one of eight previously Labour-run councils that moved into no overall control.
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Background of this development
Barnet has been a politically competitive borough, and the 2026 election overturned Labour’s previous majority on the council.
In the wider London context, the elections were significant because they reshaped control in several boroughs and produced more councils with no overall control than at any point since the current system began in 1964, according to the reporting cited. This made the 2026 vote one of the most consequential local election rounds in recent London politics.
Prediction: what could happen next?
For Barnet residents, the most likely short-term effect is a period of negotiation before any stable administration is formed, which could slow decisions on local services and spending priorities. If no party can secure support from others, Barnet may be run through informal agreements or a minority arrangement, which can make policy changes more cautious. For voters, the result suggests Barnet could become more politically contested over the next four years, especially if local issues such as housing, waste services and council tax become central in the next cycle.
