Local elections 2022: Labour take London seats of Wandsworth, Westminster and Barnet from Tories

It was an historic night for Labour in London, where Sir Keir Starmer’s party won its key target of Barnet, as well as the symbolic Tory strongholds of Wandsworth and Westminster.

The results in the capital pile more pressure on Boris Johnson, with Conservative council leaders coming out to openly criticise him in the wake of their defeats.

Which seats did Labour win in London?

Labour took the Tory authority in Wandsworth, won Westminster for the first time since its creation in 1964 and clinched victory in Barnet.

In Barnet, Labour group leader Barry Rawlings told our sister title LondonWorld he was “a bit scared but basically very excited”.

A total of 41 Labour councillors across 16 wards were elected, compared to 22 Conservative councillors across nine wards, while turnout is thought to be around 37.9%.

Giving his victory speech, he said: “It’s a great victory. Barnet has never had a majority Labour council. The residents and voters of Barnet have put their trust in us.

“Barnet deserves the changes that we will make.”

Labour won control of Wandsworth from the Conservatives for the first time in 44 years.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who lives in Tooting, and Tooting MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan joined in to celebrate Labour’s victory.

Mr Khan simply said: “Three words - Wandsworth Labour gain.”

The final count saw Labour win 46% of the votes, while the Conservatives gained 38%.

Cllr Simon Hogg, the new leader of Wandsworth Council, told LondonWorld: “It’s been a really good evening for us, it’s exceeded our expectations.

“I’m delighted to be surrounded by dozens of new Labour councillors who are ready to get to work.

The Conservatives also lost Westminster to Labour for the first time in its 58-year history.

Labour had promised to build more homes and freeze council tax in Westminster, LondonWorld reports.

Voters appear to have been ultimately swayed by the Partygate scandal inside Number 10, the cost of living crisis and, locally, the £6 million Marble Arch Mound fiasco.

Westminster City Council had been held by the Tories since it was first formed in 1964 and the council currently has the lowest council tax in the country at just £866 per year.

What has the reaction been?

Ravi Govindia, leader of the Wandsworth Tories, said: “Let’s not be coy about it, of course national issues were part of the dilemma people were facing.”

Before the final results were declared in Barnet, the Conservative group leader Daniel Thomas conceded defeat, saying the loss was a “warning shot” from his party’s supporters.

“Clearly if Labour are to get a majority in Parliament they need to win Barnet,” he said.

“They won the council, if they win our parliamentary constituencies as well, then it doesn’t bode well for us to form a Government in future general elections.”

You can follow our live blog for the latest local election results across the UK