Labour’s Westminster takeover makes history

<p>Something unusual happened across London in the early hours of Friday.</p><p>Three of the capital’s flagship, long-held Conservative councils were seized by Labour in the UK local elections.</p><p>Wandsworth went red for the first time in 44 years and so did Barnet - but the biggest shock was the flagship council of Westminster, which is under new management as Labour took control after the Conservatives ruled since 1964.</p><p>Although Sir Keir Starmer’s party failed to make larger gains outside of the capital, the Liberal Democrats also enjoyed a strong night.</p><p>Now there remains a single blue redoubt in the centre of the capital and that’s Kensington &amp; Chelsea, while the Tories also held Bexley, Hillingdon and many commuter belt councils neighbouring the outer boroughs.</p><p>So what does it mean for services and council tax in the likes of Wandsworth, always trumpeting its status as the council with England’s lowest rates.</p><p>To examine what all this means for the country’s political map - and the prime minister's future - we’re joined by the Standard’s deputy political editor, David Bond, who's been on the election trail speaking to voters in Wandsworth.</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>