2026 Camden London Borough Council election

Main article: Camden London Borough Council elections
2026 Camden London Borough Council election
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
All 55 seats to Camden London Borough Council
28 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Richard Olszewski Tom Simon
Party Labour Liberal Democrats
Last election 47 seats, 56.6% 4 seats, 17.6%
Current seats 45[1] 6
 
Leader Steve Adams Lorna Russell
Party Conservative Green
Last election 3 seats, 19.2% 1 seat, 5.1%
Current seats 3 1
Incumbent Leader

Richard Olszewski
Labour



The 2026 Camden London Borough Council election will take place on 7 May 2026, as part of the 2026 United Kingdom local elections. All 55 members of Camden London Borough Council will be elected. The election will take place alongside local elections in the other London boroughs.[2][3]

Background

The thirty-two London boroughs were established in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. They are the principal authorities in Greater London and have responsibilities including education, housing, planning, highways, social services, libraries, recreation, waste, environmental health and revenue collection. Some of the powers are shared with the Greater London Authority, which also manages passenger transport, police and fire.[4]

Since its formation, Camden has variously been under Labour control, no overall control and Conservative control. Only Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors have been elected to the council. The council has had an overall Labour majority since the 2010 election; the most recent election in 2022 saw Labour win 47 seats with 56.6% of the overall vote. The Liberal Democrats won four seats with 17.6% of the vote, the Conservatives won three seats with 19.2% of the vote, and the Greens won one seat with 5.1% of the vote. The incumbent leader of the council is the Labour councillor Richard Olszewski, who has held that position since 2024.

Electoral process

Camden, as is the case all other London borough councils, elects all of its councillors at once every four years, with the previous election having taken place in 2022. The election takes place by multi-member first-past-the-post voting, with each ward being represented by two or three councillors. Electors will have as many votes as there are councillors to be elected in their ward, with the top two or three being elected.

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in London aged 18 or over are entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities.[5] Voting in-person at polling stations takes place from 7:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters are able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.[5]

Council composition

After 2022 election Before 2026 election
Party Seats Party Seats
Labour 47 Labour 45
Liberal Democrats 4 Liberal Democrats 6
Conservative 3 Conservative 3
Green 1 Green 1

Changes 2022–2026:

  • May 2022: Adrian Cohen (Labour) resigns – by-election held July 2022[6]
  • July 2022: Linda Chung (Liberal Democrats) gains by-election from Labour[7]
  • April 2023: Will Prince (Labour) resigns – by-election held June 2023[8]
  • June 2023: Tommy Gale (Labour) wins by-election[9]
  • October 2023: Siân Berry (Green) resigns – by-election held November 2023[10]
  • November 2023: Lorna Russell (Green) wins by-election[11]
  • March 2024: Gio Spinella (Conservative) resigns – by-election held May 2024[12]
  • May 2024: Steve Adams (Conservative) wins by-election[13]
  • July 2024: Danny Beales (Labour), Georgia Gould (Labour), and Lloyd Hatton (Labour) resign – by-elections held September 2024[14][15]
  • September 2024: Joseph Ball (Labour), Tricia Leman (Labour), and Robert Thompson (Labour) win by-elections[16][17][18]
  • March 2025: Shiva Tiwari (Labour) joins Conservatives[19]
  • July 2025: Shiva Tiwari (Conservative) resigns – by-election held August 2025[20]
  • August 2025: Janet Grauberg (Liberal Democrats) gains by-election from Labour[21]

References

  1. ^ "Camden Council Composition: Latest". opencouncildata.co.uk. Open Council Data UK. Archived from the original on 14 February 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  2. ^ Coughlan, Joe (30 April 2025). "London local elections, why they aren't in 2025 and when the next ones will be". My London. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Local authority, combined authority, and county combined authority election cycles in England". GOV.UK. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  4. ^ "The essential guide to London local government | London Councils". www.londoncouncils.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b "How the elections work | London Councils". www.londoncouncils.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  6. ^ Osley, Richard (26 May 2022). "Labour's history maker steps down less than a month after election win". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Hampstead Town Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  8. ^ Osley, Richard (13 April 2023). "Labour councillor Will Prince set to trigger by-election in South Hampstead". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — South Hampstead Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  10. ^ Osley, Richard (19 October 2023). "Highgate set for council by-election as Greens' Sian Berry steps down". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Highgate Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  12. ^ Osley, Richard (25 March 2024). "Tory leader Gio Spinella steps down from the council". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Frognal Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  14. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Three Rivers Lib Dems are two down". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  15. ^ Boothroyd, David. "First SNP win since November 2022". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  16. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Camden Square Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Kentish Town South Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  18. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Kilburn Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  19. ^ Osley, Richard (13 March 2025). "Defection drama at Town Hall as Shiva Tiwari quits Labour to join the Tories". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  20. ^ Osley, Richard (17 July 2025). "Exclusive: Tory deputy leader resigns after angry shop incident". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  21. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — West Hampstead Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
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