Labour Retains Islington Council Despite Green Surge 2026; Islington, 2026

Key Points

• Labour retained control of Islington Borough Council in the 7 May 2026 local elections with 32 seats, losing 16 seats to the Green Party
• The Green Party won 19 seats, up from just 3 seats in 2022, marking an unprecedented surge in the borough
• More than six million Londoners were eligible to vote in the council elections on Thursday, 7 May 2026, across all 32 London boroughs
• Council Leader Una O’Halloran remains Leader of the Council despite losing key senior colleagues, including finance chief Flora Williamson and housing supremo John Woolf
• Voter turnout in Islington was recorded at 36% in 2022, with some wards showing 42% turnout in 2026
• The Greens achieved their upper estimate of 19-20 councillors, calling it an “astounding” result
• Liberal Democrats failed to secure their target seat of St Mary’s and St James’, while Islington Community Independents underperformed
• Five London boroughs held mayoral elections: Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham and Tower Hamlets

Islington (North London News) May 13, 2026 — Labour retained control of Islington Borough Council in the 7 May 2026 local elections, securing 32 seats out of 51 despite losing 16 seats to the Green Party in what journalists are describing as an unprecedented Green surge across the inner London borough.

Who Won the Local Elections in Islington?

Labour won the Islington local elections with an overall majority of 32 seats, while the Islington Green Party formed the opposition with 19 seats, according to official council results published on 8 May 2026. Cllr Una O’Halloran, who leads the Islington Labour Party, remains Leader of the Council and has outlined her commitment to building

“a safer, fairer, more inclusive borough”.

As reported by Isabel Loubser of the Islington Tribune,

“The final results in today’s local elections stand at Labour 32, and the Greens 19. But despite firmly retaining their majority, there were many tears shed amongst Labour colleagues who again and again had to watch their candidates be defeated by an unprecedented Green surge”.

What Were the Final Seat Numbers in Islington’s 2026 Election?

The confirmed results show all 51 councillors elected following the local elections on Thursday, 7 May:Going into the election, Labour held 44 of the 51 council seats, Greens held three, and there were four independent councillors. The total number of seats increased from 48 to 51 due to boundary revisions before the 2022 election.

Why Is This Result Significant for Labour and the Greens?

As reported by the North West Londoner,

“On a difficult day for Labour, their blushes were spared in Islington, despite a surge from the Green Party”.

For decades, Islington has been considered a Labour stronghold, with the party controlling the council since 2010.

Green Leader Benali Hamdache expressed delight at the results, stating:

“This was right by our upper estimates… And to have been so close in a number of places that we didn’t even campaign in says something. We did no work in Finsbury Park, we did no work in Laycock and were 12 votes away, the reality is the Green message has cut through really clearly”.

The Greens had previously said getting 20 councillors, or more, would be an “astounding” result, and Cllr Hamdache confirmed

“This was right by our upper estimates”. Long-serving Highbury councillor Caroline Russell, who resigned after serving for 12 years, told the Islington Tribune:

“Not only is it the three in Highbury, they’ve now got colleagues all over the council, which will make such a difference. I was on my own for eight years and it was really tough. We can’t wait to see how amazing the new team do!”.

Which Senior Labour Figures Lost Their Seats?

The Green surge meant that some of the most prominent Labour faces were defeated. As reported by Isabel Loubser of the Islington Tribune, Council Leader Una O’Halloran lost finance chief Flora Williamson, housing supremo John Woolf, Deputy Leader Santiago Bell Bradford, and community safety lead Angelo Weekes from her top team.

Speaking to the Tribune about the result, Cllr O’Halloran said: “I think it’s a brilliant result. People win and lose. People who have lost, I’m sad for them. But you go into politics knowing you could lose”.

What Did Labour Councillors Say About the Result?

Labour councillor Sheila Chapman, who is currently on the exec committee, told the Islington Tribune:

“People voted for Labour because they know that we will deliver. We’ve been out on the doorstep day in day out, not just for the election, but throughout the year. Listening to people in Archway, putting their priorities first”.

However, there was anger as well as upset amongst Labour councillors throughout the day. Many told the Tribune that the loss should be a “wake-up call” for the government, which should take the Green surge as a signal that they need to move towards a more progressive form of politics and “back to our roots”.

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How Did Other Parties Perform in Islington?

The Liberal Democrats failed to secure their target seat of St Mary’s and St James’. As reported by the Islington Tribune, their leader, Terry Stacy, did not wish to reflect on that failure, but instead proclaimed:

“It’s not north Korea anymore!”.

The Islington Community Independents also underperformed, each only garnering a couple of hundred votes. They blamed the Greens for this, saying that they should have committed to a non-compete agreement. One ICI candidate told the Islington Tribune:

“The Greens have shafted us… It just shows that it doesn’t matter how much groundwork you put in, people are going to vote based on what they see nationally”.

What Did Green Candidates Say About Their Near-Wins?

The Green Party candidates expressed their shock at the results after the Islington count. Green Candidate Joy Patricia Hinson, who missed out by 12 votes in Laycock, told the Islington Tribune:

“We hardly even campaigned in this ward and we only missed it by 12 votes. It shows people are fed up of Labour and putting their faith in the Greens”.

The Greens won two seats in Finsbury Park, which came as a shock to what were meant to be paper candidates.

Indeed, an emotional Syreen Hassan was having to be reassured by colleagues that things would all be okay, and that they would be there for her during her unexpected time as a councillor.

Cllr Benali Hamdache expressed great delight over his colleague Zoë Garbett’s victory in Hackney’s mayoral contest, as the Greens have claimed landmark council victories in Waltham Forest, as well as the mayoralties of Lewisham and Hackney, with more potentially to come.

When Were the 2026 Local Elections in London?

More than six million Londoners were eligible to vote in the council elections on Thursday, 7 May 2026. All 32 London boroughs were up for election, and there were also elections for the mayor in five boroughs: Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham and Tower Hamlets.

Some 1,817 London council seats were up for grabs across the capital. The polling stations in Islington saw turnout figures varying by ward, with Junction ward recording 42% turnout.

What Does “The One-Party State Is No More” Mean for Islington?

As declared by the Islington Tribune,

“The one-party state is no more. In a dramatic day of nail-bitingly close contests, Labour have confidently retained control of the Town Hall, but will have to stave off a strong Green opposition”.

Labour will have four more years in the Town Hall, but it will be faced with a much larger opposition group.

Support for the Green Party and independent candidates has steadily increased in recent years, reflecting changing political attitudes in inner London boroughs.

The one-party dominance that characterised Islington politics for over a decade has ended, with the Greens now forming a substantial opposition that will significantly impact council dynamics.

Background: The Development of Islington’s Political Landscape

Islington has been a Labour stronghold for decades, with the party controlling the council continuously since 2010, although it experienced two periods without an overall majority during that time. The 2022 election results showed voter turnout at 36%, with a 5.4% shift from Labour to the Greens, who garnered 21.8% of the votes compared to Labour’s 54.3%.

In the 2022 election, Labour won 48 seats (+1), and the Greens won 3 seats (+2), but due to boundary revisions, the total number of seats increased from 48 to 51. Cllr Una O’Halloran was elected new Leader of Islington Council on 4 November 2024, becoming the first Islington Council Leader who is also a Council tenant. She was chosen following Kaya Comer-Schwartz’s resignation and won based on

“10 years of consistent hard work, relationship building and sturdy pragmatic common sense”.

The Islamic Centre of England reported that former Green councillor Caroline Russell resigned after serving Highbury for 12 years, highlighting the long-standing Green presence that has now expanded dramatically. The 2026 result represents the most significant political shift in Islington since the boundary changes in 2022.

Prediction: How This Development Will Affect Islington Residents

The dramatic shift in Islington’s political composition will directly affect residents across the borough in several important ways. With the Greens now holding 19 seats compared to just 3 in 2022, residents can expect a stronger emphasis on environmental policies, climate action, and sustainable development initiatives that were previously marginalised in council decisions.

Residents will see a more contested council chamber where Labour can no longer dictate terms without negotiation. As Cllr Hamdache noted, having “colleagues all over the council” rather than being isolated will make such a difference to opposition effectiveness. This means residents’ concerns raised at council meetings will receive more rigorous scrutiny and debate.

The loss of key Labour figures, including the finance chief, housing supremo, deputy leader, and community safety lead, means residents may experience transitional periods in service delivery while new councillors assume their roles. Housing policy, budget decisions, and community safety initiatives could see shifts in approach as the new balanced council composition takes shape.