The Liberal Democrats have won the vast majority of seats in Sutton Council in the 2026 local elections.
The incumbent party drastically outperformed their rivals by winning 51 out of 55 seats as they extended their political control in the south-west of London.
The remaining four seats were won by Labour and an Independent, with one each, and two for Reform.
Luke Taylor, the MP for Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park, said: “I’m really pleased and really proud that Sutton residents have decided to put their trust in us again.”
The Liberal Democrats have been the largest party in the council since 1986, and secured a majority in the 1990 local elections.
This year, the party dramatically increased their number of seats from 29 to 51 from the 2022 local elections.
“The Liberal Democrats have run this council for forty years. It is the best borough to live in in London,” said Taylor.
“We have incredible parks and great schools, and residents trust us to deliver those services.”
Although delighted with the size of the win, Taylor recognised that the council would face hardships in the future.
He added: “These are challenging times, and councils are not being funded like they used to. We are having to make tough decisions.”
While Ed Davey’s party saw remarkable success in Sutton, the Conservatives lost every single one of their 21 seats in a disastrous night.
Labour saw their representation halved in a worrying time for the party and for Prime Minister Starmer’s future.
Reform’s performance did not translate into a significant number of seats, but their candidates consistently came second behind the Liberal Democrat winners.
Nigel Farage and the rest of the leadership team will also no doubt be delighted with their results on a national level.
Overall, the turnout for Sutton residents was reasonably strong – 46.78% with 73,670 voters.
Reflecting on tonight’s win, Taylor said: “We have a record of action, ultimately. We told residents that we wanted to continue representing them and they agreed.
“They gave us the privilege of doing so.”
Featured Image Credit: Tom Appleby
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