London local elections 2026: Who will win in Newham?
What could have become the heartlands for Jeremy Corbyn’s Your Party may represent the shortcomings of the former Labour leader’s new venture, as well as the impact of travails of his old comrades in Westminster.
Newham is Jeremy Corbyn’s worst nightmare. A fertile seat for progressive politics, almost all of its wards have been Labour-dominated as long as the borough has existed.
The party swept the board at the last local elections, winning all 66 seats. But as Labour’s appeal has waned, one-party politics has given way to challenge from the left, even if it’s not being led by Your Party, Corbyn’s start up.
Results for this council are expected to come at around 6pm on Friday 8th May.
Newham is the third-most populous and the youngest borough in London and is home to the Olympic Park that hosted the 2012 games. It features one of the country’s lowest white British populations, along with neighbouring Tower Hamlets.
Newham missed opportunity for Your Party
A few years ago, this would have been exactly the type of area Corbyn had in mind when he devised his ill-fated left-wing alternative party. Young, progressive, diverse voters who feel left behind by a centrist Labour should, in theory, have flocked the party he shared with Zarah Sultana.
Not anymore. Following Your Party’s implosion into infighting, its presence at this year’s local elections looks set to be all but negligible.
Very few candidates will stand directly as Your Party representatives. Corbyn’s vehicle has instead thrown its weight around a small list of independents in target areas, including the Newham Independents Party.
The NIP had five councillors at the end of last year but one defected to become an independent in January, and the insurgent Greens will hope to cannibalise votes from its progressive competitors as Zack Polanski’s party eyes huge gains in London.
The NIP are, like the Greens, putting Palestine at the top of their issues list, as well as proposing to freeze council tax and end a controversial emissions-based parking system.
Labour has structural backing
In Newham, Labour has an upper hand for structural reasons, as it has in many London boroughs, with a strong campaigning base and a backbone of MPs.
Newham’s three MPs are in Starmer’s party, with Stephen Timms – East Ham’s MP since 1994 – joined by James Asser and Uma Kumaran at the last general election.
On paper, Newham could be one of Labour’s best shots of hanging on to control of a London council. It has a strong history of being Labour run. There is a fragmented opposition to the left and a minimal challenge to the right.
But, for Labour right now, nothing is straightforward. Electoral pundits are suggesting Newham could fall into no overall control in a chaotic toss-up between leftwing parties.
Morning Wire is previewing local election votes taking place in every London borough. Click here for a full overview of May 7.