Labour Takes Control Of Key London Area For First Time In History
Labour has taken control of a key London area for the first time in history, with the council’s new leader saying the victory comes as a ‘huge privilege’.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced backlash from local Tory leaders as their party suffered setbacks across England in the council election – including a number of major London authorities.
Labour celebrated a historic win in Westminster City, gaining control for the first time since the party's creation in 1964.
Adam Hug, the new Labour leader of Westminster City Council vowed to help as many people as possible.
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Speaking at the Westminster City Council count, Hug told the Press Association: “We are delighted that people in Westminster put their trust in us. It’s a huge privilege.
"We are going to work really hard to put their interests first over the next four years.
“We have got a lot of big challenges ahead, we are going to get to work and we are going to help as many people as we can.”
This came just hours after the Tories lost its ‘crown jewel’ of Wandsworth, which hasn’t been held by Labour since 1978, having also won back Barnet overnight.
In the wake of the Labour wins, many Tory councillors have expressed their frustration with their party's leadership.
John Mallinson, leader of Carlisle City Council hit out after Labour took control of the new Cumberland authority, which will replace it.
He told the BBC: “I think it is not just partygate, there is the integrity issue.
“Basically I just don’t feel people any longer have the confidence that the prime minister can be relied upon to tell the truth.”
In Portsmouth, where the Tories lost four seats, leader of the Conservative group Simon Bosher also said Johnson should 'take a good, strong look in the mirror' because 'those are people that are actually bearing the brunt on the doorstep of behaviour of what’s been going on in Westminster'.
Even Barry Rawlings, the leader of the Labour group of Barnet council, said the Labour gain was less to do with his party's actions, and more to do with disillusionment with the Tories.
Rawlings told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’ll be honest, it’s not us being wonderful.
“I think a lot of Conservatives haven’t voted this time, I think they feel alienated from No 10 and that they are, I don’t know, they’ve been disappointed with Boris Johnson and so not voting and I think that’s made a difference as well.”
Jess Hardiman