![\"Londoners](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/london-voting.jpg\")
\t\tBarnet is up for grabs in the London local elections.\t<\/p>\n\t\t\tThursday 23 April 2026 1:00 am
\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Updated:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\t\tWednesday 22 April 2026 3:54 pm\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\tBarnet is up for grabs in the London local elections.\t<\/p>\n
Labour faces a battle in defending Barnet in the local elections after recent surges in council tax and a flurry of defections since 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Barnet stands as a real test for both the Conservative and Labour<\/a> party.\u00a0<\/p>\n What was traditionally a safe seat for the Tories<\/a> flipped red in 2022 as Labour won the borough for the first time. It marked a major blow after the Tories had controlled the borough since it was created, except for the period between 1994 to 2002 when there was no overall control.<\/p>\n But whether Conservatives can regain ground or Labour can hold their own both face the threat from third parties.<\/p>\n Labour won 41 seats in 2022 in a seven per cent swing. The turnout was 37.9 per cent.<\/p>\n \t\tBarnet hit by defections<\/p>\n Since then, there have been six by-elections, though all seats have been held by either of the two main parties. But that doesn\u2019t mean there haven\u2019t been other entries from the Greens and Reforms.<\/p>\n Two Tory councillors defected to Reform, one of which \u2013 Dan Thomas \u2013 would go on to become the party\u2019s leader in Wales. His seat remains vacant.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, one Labour councillor went independent before joining the Greens.<\/p>\n The borough has a 405,050 strong population and boasts some of London\u2019s leafiest views and brightest green belts.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n \t\t\tLondon local elections 2026: Who will win?<\/a><\/p>\n The showdown in May is set to be a four-party tussle with a whole host of issues set to divide voter perspective. Barnet Labour put up taxes by 4.98 per cent in its final budget before the election.<\/p>\n Labour also came to power in the borough on a Nimby (Not in my back yard) agenda \u2013 pledging to protect and enhance green spaces and \u201cstand up to developers\u201d.<\/p>\n But with Reform and Green now having gained councillors through defections, the goalposts appear to have shifted.<\/p>\n Even the Friern Barnet ward, held by Labour council leader Barry Hawkins where he scooped up a mammoth 60 per cent vote share, faces a threat from the Greens.<\/p>\n Hawkins\u2019 former co-running mate Linda Lusingu, who defected to the Greens, will be set to take the fight to Labour there.<\/p>\n The Tories are meanwhile hoping that voters focus on the council\u2019s financial woes after it was one of seven London boroughs to take emergency borrowing. Taxes<\/a> have also shot up in recent years though financial woes predate the 2022 elections given historic struggles to take control over social care funding.\u00a0<\/p>\n Barnet is one of the councils that Labour will hope to not lose. Any party may be able to just edge the votes in a possible four-way split.\u00a0<\/p>\n City AM is previewing local election votes taking place in every London borough. Click here for a full overview of May 7.<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n