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Friday, 5 May 2006, 19:35 GMT 20:35 UK

Heavy losses for Labour in London

Ballots counted at Barking and Dagenham The Conservatives have made huge gains in London, winning 14 of London's 32 boroughs while Labour has lost control of at least 10 councils.

The Tories now have control of 14 councils, Labour have seven and the Lib Dems three - and eight have no overall controlling party.

Among Labour's big losses were formerly supportive boroughs Ealing and Camden.

The Greens gained nine seats and the BNP gained 11 seats in Barking and Dagenham and one in Redbridge.

The Conservatives effectively redrew the political map in London - a key battleground where many councils were held by only tens of votes.

The Tories took Bexley, Croydon and the "bellwether" borough of Ealing, as well as Hammersmith and Fulham, from Labour's control.

The local election vote in Ealing has reflected the subsequent general election result in every vote but one for 40 years.

The Tories retained control of Westminster, Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea, Redbridge, Bromley, Enfield and Barnet and also gained Harrow, Havering and Hillingdon - which had been under no overall control.

Labour, which started the night with 15 councils, gained only Lambeth and clung onto Greenwich, Haringey, Newham and Barking and Dagenham.

But it saw its majorities in Brent, Camden, Lewisham, Hounslow, Merton and Tower Hamlets dwindle, leaving Labour with no overall control on those councils.

"I regret that the national circumstances meant a very good council in Camden has been lost"
Raj Chadha
Ousted Camden leader

BNP gains in Barking

It remains the biggest party in Tower Hamlets, but has so far lost six seats so it now holds 23.

George Galloway's Respect party is now the second biggest on the council with 11 seats.

The Liberal Democrats held Sutton and Kingston, gained Richmond from the Conservatives, but lost Islington.

Southwark and Waltham Forest remain with no party in overall control.

Some believe days of bad headlines about Labour ministers were to blame.

In Camden, council leader Raj Chadha was among those who lost his seat.

He told BBC London: "I regret that the national circumstances meant a very good council in Camden has been lost."

"We proved what a difference we could make with one councillor - people saw that and wanted more"
Darren Johnson
Greens


But in Ealing, where Labour lost 18 seats including that of the council leader, the Tories said local issues counted.

Conservative councillor Jason Stacey said: "People in this borough are fed up with a council that wasn't listening to them on things like the west London tram."

The Greens did well, adding five seats to its original one on Lewisham Council, and gaining four more across London.

Green councillor Darren Johnson said of the Lewisham wins: "We proved what a difference we could make with one councillor - people saw that and wanted more."

All council seats in London's 32 boroughs were up for grabs and voters in three of them were also choosing directly elected mayors.

The Labour mayors in Newham, Lewisham and Hackney were all re-elected for a second term at the second count.




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Lewisham Council
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Hillingdon Council
Haringey Council
Hammersmith and Fulham Council
Barking and Dagenham Council
Islington Council
Camden Council
Redbridge Council
Kingston Council
Croydon Council
Bromley Council
Lambeth Council
Enfield Council
Richmond Council
Waltham Forest Council
Ealing Council
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