Conservatives take back Westminster City Council in 2026 elections

The Conservative Party has taken back control of Westminster City Council, winning 32 of the 54 seats being contested across 18 wards.

Labour came in second place with 22 seats, with no other parties taking a single seat on the council.

Labour leader Adam Hug held on to his seat winning comfortably in Westbourne ward.

The West End ward, which includes Fitzrovia West, has been taken in a clean sweep with three Conservatives elected.

The result overturned Labour’s historic victory in 2022 when they took all seats in the West End ward and control of the council for the first time since it was created in 1965, when they took 31 out of the 54 seats, with the Conservatives taking 23 seats.

Pundits had tipped the result as likely to be a straight contest between the Conservatives and Labour with the results predicted to be on a knife edge.

Two Conservative councillors had defected to Reform UK.

Laila Cunningham sat as a Reform UK councillor for Lancaster Gate ward but did not contest the seat at this election.

Alan Mendoza left the Tories and sat as a Reform UK member for Abbey Road ward, but also lost his seat at this election.

Paul Fisher, elected as a Labour councillor in 2022, switched to the Conservatives last year and has kept his seat on the council.

Leader of Westminster Conservatives Paul Swaddle told BBC News that the forthcoming pedestrianisation of Oxford Street — initiated by Labour mayor Sadiq Khan — was a major issue for voters.

Local elections 2026: View the results for Westminster City Council.

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