London local elections 2026: Who will win in Bromley?
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After years of watching their control fade in Bromley, the Conservatives will be fighting a battle on several fronts with Labour and Reform both chomping at the bit.
The Conservatives have been slowly watching their grip on Bromley slip.
The Tories have held onto the borough since its creation in 1965 – say for a brief Liberal Democrat and Labour coalition between 1998 and 2002.
But recent years have seen that control come under threat. In 2022, Labour clinched an extra six per cent of the voting share as the Tories lost 14 seats. They were able to retain overall control with 36 seats, as Labour rose to 12 and the Liberal Democrats were left on five.
But since the election, the insurgent Reform party are threatening to turn the borough turquoise.
The party has already gained seats from two defections from the Conservatives as well as a by-election win. Like its neighbour Bexley, it poses a top target for Nigel Farage’s party.
Farage will find out whether his party’s campaigns have paid dividends when results come in at around 7pm on 8 May.
But Farage has already stirred controversy in the borough after raising the idea of a referendum on Bromley leaving London.
“Sitting in here now with all these blokes in the pub, does this feel like London? Not to me it doesn’t,” the Reform leader said on a visit to the borough.
He called for “serious reconsiderations” of what he called a “massive land grab” that happened in 1965.
The statement prompted Beckenham and Penge Labour MP Liam Conlon to start a campaign to oppose such a move, stating it would be a “disaster” for residents.
Farage failed to confirm whether Laila Cunnginham, Reform’s London mayoral hopeful, would allow boroughs to leave the capital if elected.
Sadiq Khan policies cause friction in Bromley
Some of the local frustrations that prompted Farage’s suggestion are driven by policies from Mayor Sadiq Khan which have divided outer London, particularly the ULEZ ultra low emission zone that affects those in the outer boroughs who are more likely to drive frequently.
Bromley enjoys vast amounts of green space in London, with the borough being partly urban and partly rural. It has a segment of the built-up area of suburban London as well as the northern part of the North Downs, a prominent ridge of chalk hills that stretch to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent.
The independent group Chislehurst Matters are also looking to hold onto all three Chislehurst seats in the coming elections, which pledges to protect and enhance the green spaces and heritage of the local area.
It adds a Nimby (Not in my back yard) dimension to the upcoming vote that is seen just as much as in inner city boroughs.
Voters may also challenge the incumbent Tories on their record of handling public finances. This year, the average Band D property council tax will go up by £98 in Bromley – an increase of 4.8 per cent. Councillors have described the Labour government’s funding cuts as “vicious”.
A win here for the Tories would send strategists in Westminster a strong message that voters have not yet turned away from the party. It may also signal that campaigns centred on attacking other figures such as Sir Keir Starmer, Sir Sadiq Khan and Nigel Farage could prove to be effective.
Morning Wire is previewing local election votes taking place in every London borough. Click here for a full overview of May 7.