The outcome left many Labour candidates, councillors and activists visibly emotional, with some expressing “shock” and lamenting that “this isn’t working” after both Gareth Shaw (Chief Whip) and Polly Knewstub (Cabinet Member for Healthy Equal Lives) lost their seats.
In contrast, the Liberal Democrats experienced a notable surge, increasing their representation by seven to 13 councillors.
The Green Party also had much to celebrate, gaining five new councillors, including a clean sweep in Hanwell Broadway.
The Conservatives, while seeing no overall change from 2022, shocked the room when they won all three seats in North Greenford from Labour. The longest serving councillor, Anthony Young, lost his election, bringing an end to his 48-year councillorship for the Conservatives.
Starmer meets Labour Party members at Kingsdown Methodist Church Hall in Ealing, west London
PA
The turnout was 43.54 per cent of a potential 250,275 eligible voters. This is an increase of 3.23 per cent compared to 2022.
Unlike the 2022 elections, Labour was forced to contend with a resurgent Green Party, Reform UK, and a new local independent party backed by Jeremy Corbyn. The Ealing Community Independents described its existence as being to challenge Labour’s dominance in Ealing, though failed to win a seat.
This year saw the largest number of candidates to ever stand in the borough, and the largest of any London borough this year with a total of 367 candidates standing across 24 wards. In 2022, 264 candidates stood – 103 fewer than this year.
Here are the full results in Ealing
Ealing (Total number of seats: 70)