The Green Party slashed Labour’s majority down to 30 seats, and the ruling party will now need to find a new leader
Labour has retained control over Camden amid a surge in support for the Green Party, which saw Council Leader Richard Olszewski lose his seat.
The insurgent Greens dealt the ruling party several blows as they increased their total number of councillors to 11 making them the largest opposition group on the council. Labour retained its overall majority with 30 council seats, down 17 from the 2022 elections.
The Liberal Democrats also made gains, increasing their number of councillors to 10. Trailing in fourth place, the Conservatives won three seats, while the Camden People’s Alliance won a seat in St Pancras and Somers Town.
Council Leader Richard Olszewski, who had switched seats from Fortune Green to the perceived safer seat of Holborn and Covent Garden, was defeated by the Greens, coming in sixth place.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) approached Cllr Olszewski and Camden Labour for comment.
Lorna Jane Russell, who until now has been the only Green councillor in Camden, told the LDRS: “It’s incredible. The Green Party is now the official opposition, to go from one to 11 is amazing. I have every faith that we will do people proud and show them what Green councillors can do.
“With a reduced majority and what will be a new leader, it’s a good opportunity for Labour to reflect on the issues and priorities that matter most to communities: housing repairs, overdevelopment, green issues, and to ground them a little bit more in the grassroots,” she said. “We will keep them on their toes.”
While it has hung on in Camden, Labour has suffered significant losses across London after previously controlling 21 out of 32 local authorities in the capital. Notably the party lost overall control in Brent and lost Westminster to the Tories.
Camden has been a London stronghold for Labour throughout most out of the last five decades, and the party’s losses will resonate with Labour MPs representing the borough, which includes Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer.
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