Green gains see Labour lose control of Lewisham and Lambeth

"Hailing the result in Lewisham, where the Greens won a majority, leader Zack Polanski said his party was "replacing" Labour. In Lambeth, the Greens gained 27 seats to become the largest party, although they fell just short of an overall majority. Overall the party gained more than 440 councillors across England and won its first-ever elected mayors in Hackney and Lewisham. It means the party has won control of three councils in the capital, along with Waltham Forest and Hackney in north-east London."

"In Lewisham - where Labour have been the largest party since 1968 - the Greens toppled a huge majority, winning 40 seats to gain control of the council. The last time the council was up for election in 2022, Labour won every single seat. In Lambeth, the Greens gained 27 seats, pushing Labour out of power in the borough for the first time since 2006."

"In results on Friday, the party also made big gains in Hackney and Islington, where Labour held on to power despite a Green surge. Outside the capital, the Green Party's best result has been in Norwich, where it took control of the city council from Labour, and Hastings, where no single party was previously in control. It has also picked up seats in places like Salford, Oxford, Southampton and Exeter, as well as Manchester, where it made 17 gains among the 32 seats up for grabs on the city council."

"On Friday Polanski said two-party politics was "dead and buried", as he argued the "new politics is Green Party versus Reform". While the Green gains were more modest than those of Reform UK, they still represented the party's best election result ever."

The Green Party of England and Wales made large gains in former Labour strongholds in south London, taking control of Lewisham and becoming the largest party in Lambeth. In Lewisham, the Greens won a majority by gaining 40 seats, toppling a Labour dominance that had held since 1968 and winning every seat in 2022. In Lambeth, the Greens gained 27 seats, ending Labour’s control for the first time since 2006, though they fell short of an overall majority. The party also gained more than 440 councillors across England and won its first elected mayors in Hackney and Lewisham. Outside London, it took control of Norwich and gained influence in Hastings, Manchester, and other cities. Zack Polanski said two-party politics was over and framed the new contest as Green Party versus Reform.

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