High turnout from national poll brings a radical shift of power
As if the result of the general election were not enthralling enough,
Despite having lost almost 100 MPs nationally, Labour gained over 180 councillors in London. The party now runs 17 boroughs, the Conservatives 11 and Liberal Democrats two. Two are in "no overall control".
London borough contests have never before taken place on the same day as a general election. It appears the national poll had the effect of bringing out Labour "core" voters who do not normally take part in council elections. The Tories, although they lost almost 60 seats and some boroughs, did relatively well, taking control of Richmond from the Lib-Dems. Indeed, the Lib-Dems and other smaller parties were badly squeezed, adding to Nick Clegg's poor results - at least in "seats won" terms.
The BNP has been wiped out. All 12 of the party's Barking and Dagenham seats were taken by Labour. Labour MPs and councillors have started to take action about the party's perceived abandonment of the white working class and, as a result, started to overwhelm the BNP. Many boroughs are now one or two-party states, taking London borough politics back to a pattern of predominantly Labour and Conservative representation that had been in decline.
A final thought. Since 1964 Ealing council has been controlled by the party that went on to win the subsequent election each time there has been a change of government. Last week it switched back from the Tories to Labour. A portent?
Tony Travers is director of the Greater London Group at the London School of Economics
