Labour has retained control of Hounslow Council following the local elections, despite losing 20 seats. It will be Labour’s slimmest majority since retaking the council in 2010.
The party will have a majority of one, compared to a majority of 20 after the 2022 vote. A total of 32 is needed for a majority – exactly the number Labour achieved.
Labour saw a large drop off in their vote, losing some of their safest seats in the borough. Reform saw a breakthrough in Feltham, gaining eight new councillors across the borough compared to 2022.
The Conservatives also saw success in the borough gaining seven councillors. Jack Emsley, Councillor for Chiswick Homefields, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the result was “seismic”.
The Green Party gained three new councillors compared to 2022, although Cllr Lambert had defected to the Greens during the previous term. The Liberal Democrats also gained their first councillor, nicking a seat from Labour in Isleworth.
Council Leader and Labour Leader Cllr Shantanu Rajawat beat his Labour colleague by just 87 votes in Heston West. In 2022, Cllr Rajawat was almost 1,300 clear of his nearest challenger.
Elsewhere, Farhaan Rehman, former councillor for Hounslow Heath, lost his seat to the Conservatives, after months of scandal culminating in a council investigation which found he breached the constitution.
Conservative Leader Cllr Peter Thompson also lost his seat in Chiswick Riverside to Rick Rowe of the Green Party. Cllr Thompson led the council between 2006 and 2010, and had been a councillor for over 20 years.
Turnout was 41 per cent, compared to 33.6 per cent in 2022 – an increase of 7.4 per cent.
Breakdown by party compared to 2022
Labour – 32 (-20)
Conservatives – 17 (+7)
Reform UK – 8 (+8)
Greens – 3 (+3)
Liberal Democrat 1 (+1)
Independent – 1 (+1)
