Labour take control of the Council despite Tory gains

The Labour party have sprung a surprise in the Borough of Hounslow by winning an overall majority. The Conservatives actually increased the number of seats they held on the Council but Councillors from the independent parties and the Liberal Democrats were all defeated.

The result was not widely anticipated, particularly after the Conservatives won the general election contest in Brentford and Isleworth and made inroads into the Labour majority in the other constituency in the borough.

The Conservatives had run the Council in coalition with the Isleworth Community Group. The Isleworth Community Group were defeated by Labour in all three seats in their home ward as well as other seats they held in Syon.

Peter Thompson, former head of the Conservative/ICG coalition, is reported as having said after the defeat, "Obviously I need to get myself a job and rejoin the real world. As a group we will have to reflect on what happened and move forward. "

Labour will be meeting this week to discuss the appointment of a Council Leader and the executive.

It was a bad day for Andrew Dakers. After a disappointing third place in the General Election he also lost his Council seat in Brentford to Labour.

Labour won back a significant number of Councils in London including neighbouring Ealing.

May 8, 2010