Green Party Makes Significant Gains in South London
The Green Party of England and Wales has achieved substantial advances in areas traditionally dominated by Labour in south London, resulting in Sir Keir Starmer's party losing control of both Lewisham and Lambeth councils.
In Lewisham, where the Greens secured a majority, party Leader Zack Polanski stated that the Greens are "replacing" Labour as the dominant political force.
"We are replacing Labour," said Leader Zack Polanski, reflecting on the Lewisham results.
In Lambeth, the Greens increased their representation by 27 seats, becoming the largest party on the council, although they narrowly missed achieving an overall majority.
Green Party's Expanding Influence Across London
Overall, the Green Party gained over 440 councillor positions across England and secured its first-ever elected mayoralties in Hackney and Lewisham.
This success means the Greens now control three London councils: Lewisham, Waltham Forest, and Hackney, the latter two located in north-east London.
In Lewisham, where Labour had been the largest party since 1968, the Greens overturned a substantial majority by winning 40 seats and taking control of the council.
At the previous council election in 2022, Labour had won every seat, marking a dramatic shift in voter preference.
In Lambeth, the Greens’ gain of 27 seats ended Labour’s control of the borough for the first time since 2006.
On Friday, election results also showed significant Green gains in Hackney and Islington, although Labour retained control in those boroughs despite the Green surge.
Green Party Success Beyond London
Outside of London, the Green Party’s most notable achievement was in Norwich, where it took control of the city council from Labour, and in Hastings, where no single party had previously held control.
The party also increased its presence in other cities including Salford, Oxford, Southampton, and Exeter.
In Manchester, the Greens made 17 gains among the 32 council seats contested, further expanding their influence.
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