While just short of their result four years’ ago, it improves on pre-election numbers having suffered two defections and a councillor going independent during the subsequent term.
The Conservatives managed to increase their representation by two councillors, while the Green Party, Liberal Democrats, and Reform all failed to secure any seats.
Speaking after the election result Cllr Stephen Cowan, the Labour group’s leader, told the hall it was an “honour” to retain control, adding: “We will never let the people of this amazing borough down.”
The borough has been a Labour stronghold since 2014, when it ended an eight-year run of Tory rule. Prior to that it had alternated between Labour and the Conservatives other than the period from 1978 to 1986 when it was under no overall control.
Councillor Stephen told the hall it was an ‘honour’ to retain control
PA
Polling had indicated the council would continue to be held by Labour despite the expected rise in multi-party politics and the party’s plummeting support across the country.
One detailed model, by audience insight company Bombe, even suggested Hammersmith and Fulham may be the only London borough held by Labour, with the others either going to opposition groups or falling under a minority administration. However Labour did hold onto Ealing despite losing seats there.
At the last election, in 2022, Labour picked up 40 of the 50 seats available in Hammersmith and Fulham with the Tories securing the remaining 10.
Since then two Labour members have defected to the Green Party while another went independent after being suspended over alleged racist and antisemitic social media posts.
The final results, which were announced just after 5am on Friday (May 8), did see the Tories win a couple of seats from Labour in Sands End, taking two of the three.
Here are the full results in Hammersmith & Fulham
Hammersmith & Fulham (Total number of seats: 50)