Labour leader of Camden Council loses seat to Greens

The Green Party has achieved an historic clean sweep in Camden’s Holborn and Covent Garden ward, with three candidates elected — ousting the Labour council leader Richard Olszewski in the process.

Labour has kept control of the council with a small majority — but lost 17 seats across the borough in the 2026 local elections.

Hamza Chowdhury, Jim Monahan, and James White were elected for the Green Party in Holborn and Covent Garden ward, overturning a Labour stronghold.

Olszewski was a councillor for the Fortune Green ward but feared losing his seat to the Lib Dems and chose to do the “chicken run” and stand in the previously “safe” Labour ward of Holborn and Covent Garden.

The ward was not even a target constituency for the Greens but they have this week taken the greatest scalp in the recent history of Camden Town Hall.

Turnout for Holborn and Covent Garden was 37.4 per cent.

To the north of Fitzrovia, Regent’s Park ward has been another clean sweep for the Green Party.

Ruman Jaigirdar, Victoria Mery, and Muhammad Abu Naser took the Regent’s Park ward for the Greens. They also ousted former Labour leader of Camden, Nasim “Nash” Ali, and chair of the Planning Committee, Labour’s Heather Johnson.

Turnout for Regent’s Park was 35.12 per cent.

In Bloomsbury ward, which includes Fitzrovia East, Labour’s Rishi Madani lost his seat to Green candidate Lilac Carr. Labour’s Sabrina Francis and Adam Harrison retained their seats.

Turnout for Bloomsbury was 33.76 per cent.

Labour has managed to retain control of the council with 30 seats out of a possible 55 — a three seat majority.

The Green Party came in second place with 11 seats making it the largest opposition party.

The Lib Dems came in third place on 10 seats, while the Conservatives retained three seats, and Camden’s People’s Alliance gained one seat.

Counting took place at Pancras Square, starting on Friday morning and only ending just before 10pm due to a recount for the St Pancras and Somers Town ward where there was a very close result between Camden People’s Alliance and Labour.

Reporters from the Camden New Journal were at the count all day and produced a very good live blog with lots of commentary and photos.

Camden Council election 2026 results for all 20 wards.

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