Reflections on May: London’s new political landscape

Jonny Popper | 11th June 2026 | Politics
Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

May’s local elections completely transformed London’s political landscape, argues CEO Jonny Popper.

Labour – usually so dominant – lost control of 12 local authorities and 460 of their 1,156 councillors. The Party now has an overall majority in just 9 boroughs, although they do remain the party with by far the most councillors in London. The Tories did very little – ending up with just three more councillors than they started with and gaining only Westminster City Council. The Lib Dems made next to no impact, failing to gain their target borough of Merton. Nine boroughs came back as No Overall Control (NOC) where no single party won a majority. With so much change, there were three key stories of these elections. The rise of the Greens As expected, the Greens performed extremely well across inner London, winning three boroughs, with 279 councillors in total, up from just 18 in 2022. They pulled off a stunning victory in Hackney, their number one target, where Zoë Garbett was elected as Mayor with 47% of the vote, while they increased their councillors from two to 40. Similarly, Liam ...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.



UK Budget 2026: Energy Bill Relief, North Sea Oil and Gas, and the Cost of Britain’s Green Transition

Anna Bryzhko | October 29, 2026

The government has promised to ease energy bills while investing in Britain's energy future. But can it support North Sea production, expand clean power and meet climate commitments

Found the Budget boring? Burnham may be thinking of an early election

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | October 28, 2026

After weeks of anticipation, Healey’s maiden budget looks to designed to re-assure the markets that Labour are fiscally responsible.

Is Britain’s welfare Bill out of control?

Ella Beadman | October 27, 2026

Ahead of the hotly anticipated Budget on Wednesday, Ella Beadman analyses what it could mean for welfare spending

What Can Britain Expect for Defence Spending in the Autumn Budget?

Anna Bryzhko | October 22, 2026

The government has pledged billions more for Britain's military. But can it finance those promises without squeezing other public services?

Healey’s first Budget: Economic pressures and potential tax rises

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | October 21, 2026

With just a week until the first Budget of the Burnham government is released, Mace analyses what the Chancellor’s biggest challenges are and what taxes might be brought

Labour Wins in Holborn and St Pancras, but the Greens Remain a Political Challenge

Anna Bryzhko | October 13, 2026

Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali secured 12,292 votes, defeating Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who received 8,928

By-election day: Is it now or never for Zack Polanski? 

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | October 8, 2026

The day of the Holborn and St Pancras by-election has arrived; Mace investigates where public opinion is and what this means for the future of the Green Party

The Mace Questionnaire: MP Layla Moran

Mace | October 7, 2026

"Education is why I came into politics, and it is hardly talked about"

Diary: Tory Conference 2026

William Cash | October 6, 2026

Greetings from Birmingham and the Conservative Party Conference, with Editor William Cash.

Labour Party Conference: No fireworks from Healey, and no market shock either 

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | September 29, 2026

Healey’s affirmative line “There is nothing progressive about losing control” did little to stir ‘hype’ amongst conference attendees nor City bankers, but he is right to say it