Forum Topic

Who will win in Wandsworth?

Looks like the local borough elections will be one of the most interesting in London. I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts not on who they think should win but who they think will win. My own view is that the projections underestimate the share of the vote Reform will get but that ironically that will help Labour retain power.The reasoning is that the campaign Reform is running is simple but effective - their election material is generic, doesn't mention any local issues and their candidates are generally previously uninvolved in  the community. The proposition they offer is very simple - immigrants and Net Zero bad and let's come out of the ECHR. What has surprised me is how many friends who would previously have probably been seen as One Nation Tories are now leaning towards Reform. They know enough about the real world to know that leaving the ECHR is a bad idea but now that that is a Tory policy too - their choices are reduced. A large proportion of the electorate don't look at ward projections, are too busy to be that engaged with local politics and will cast their vote to make a statement about who should be in charge in Westminster. My impression is that the Conservatives in Wandsworth will be hurt most by this phenomenon.

Peter Higgins ● 9d8 Comments

The projections for the borough vary. I’ve seen one that shows Labour clinging on, another showing the Tories as the largest party but short of a majority and another showing the Greens winning several wards. The projections themselves are not constant and have changed over the last few weeks. They can’t all be right!  My best guess is No Overall Control which will require parties to actually work together, possibly for the first time in Wandsworth’s history. The old Chicago (and Belfast) exhortation comes to mind: Vote early Vote often!

Jonathan Callaway ● 4d

Looking for predictions online of the likely outcome I see that Pollcheck have the following for Thamesfield: Conservative
38.6% Green18.1% Lib Dem16.8% Reform13.4% Labour13.1%
I’ve also noticed that the Lib Dems in their literature never mention the Greens, only comparing themselves with Labour and the Conservatives. Reform are only marginally ahead of Labour. It’ll be interesting to see how the actual votes turn out on May 7th. Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 4d

So we're West Hill so obviously there is one vote for Malcolm Grimshaw. I didn't vote in the GE as refused to vote Labour and didn't think that Tories deserved a vote so decided to abstain at the dire situation politics is in.This time I'm so disheartened my Labour on a UK level that I feel Tories has to be the answer (as Reform is just asking for disaster). My husband is thinking of not voting again...

Gabrielle OMahony ● 4d

There is a hustings in Southfields this evening. If anyone here is attending I’d be interested in a report on the local mood and how the various candidates performed. The hustings last week in Roehampton was not that well attended and only three of the five parties bothered to show up. Main issues were housing, or the lack of it, the regeneration schemes that have so far failed to take off and poor local bus connections.

Jonathan Callaway ● 5d

Starmer is not standing in Wandsworth. But the national mood always has an effect on local elections which is probably why the Tories lost Wandsworth four years ago. It is very difficult to call but it could easily be a hung result. The Greens are playing a good hand and the LibDem at the Thamesfield hustings gave a good account of himself. I’m not sure how well Reform will do locally. They are avoiding all the hustings and I’ve seen none of their literature. If all they’re banging on about is immigrants and the ECHR I don’t quite see how that’s going to work for most people locally. The BBC put it well: “if the Tories don’t win they’ll be disappointed. If Labour stay in they’ll be very relieved”.

Jonathan Callaway ● 9d

Starmers latest lies will nit gave gone down well in any labour run town halls.

Andy Pike ● 9d

I agree, Michael Ixer.  I will answer the question on 8 May 2026.Funny, Reform did not participate in the West Putney/Roehampton hustings either.  The Lib Dems were in the audience but not at the table....  Not good!

Ivonne Holliday ● 9d

Interesting that Reform didn't turn up to Putney Hustings to debate local issues.  Sounds like that have no solutions (or interest in debating possible solutions) for issues such as traffic, bridges, buses, signal failures, lifts, council tax ...?It would be a brave person that tries to predict the outcome of votes going from Labour and Conservatives to Reform, Greens, LibDems, ... a hung council?

Michael Ixer ● 9d