London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been re-elected in by-elections held last week in various towns in England and Wales. With 43.7 percent support, Khan surpassed his Conservative Party rival, Susan Hall. With 1,088,225 votes compared to Hall’s 811,518, Khan is set to embark on a historic third term leading the London City Council. Participation in the vote was 40.5 percent.
The Labour Party has emerged as the major winners of the election, with the Liberal Democratic Party securing the second most elected councilors ahead of the Conservative Party. Labour has 1,069 council offices and 49 city councils, while the Liberal Democratic Party has 519 council offices and 12 city councils, and the Conservative Party has 498 council offices and six city councils. The Green Party and other independent formations have also obtained council seats.
In other regions such as West Midlands, Richar Parker won and displaced outgoing Conservative Andy Street from power while Greater Manchester’s Andy Burnham secured a third consecutive term as its leader. The Labour Party leader Keir Starmer believes that “the conservative party doesn’t deserve to govern” after their defeat in municipal elections.
Amongst the celebrations for their election victory, Labour leader Ed Davey highlighted their success in challenging traditionally conservative areas. He warned conservative MPs that this could be a warning sign for them in future elections. Starmer emphasized that there is a need for positive governance plans while criticizing current government failings and divisiveness. These election results set the stage for upcoming general elections with hopes that Labour will build on their recent successes
