Labour Loses Southampton Majority, Portsmouth Goes Lib Dem — Local Election Results

Labour lost its majority at Southampton City Council and the Liberal Democrats took control of Portsmouth City Council in the local election results announced across the South of England. Southampton is now under no overall control, while Portsmouth moved from no overall control to Liberal Democrat control.

Southampton City Council

Labour lost seven seats in Southampton and now holds 24, leaving it as the largest party but without overall control. Labour council leader Alex Winning also lost his Shirley seat to the Liberal Democrats, and the council could now be governed through an alliance with Green councillors.

During the overnight count, Luke Reynolds won the Bargate seat for the Greens by 37 votes in his first run as a councillor. Darren Paffey, the Southampton Itchen Labour MP, said the results were “reflective of the national picture” and that “we are going to need time to reflect on what these results mean locally”.

Portsmouth City Council

The Liberal Democrats gained three seats to take control of Portsmouth City Council, which had previously been under no overall control. Portsmouth Lib Dem leader Steve Pitt described the outcome as a “brilliant result” and said it was “a vote of confidence in a hard-working team that really understand how Portsmouth works”.

Pitt also said, “It’s not about the party in control having domination over everything.” The Liberal Democrats kept every seat they were defending in Portsmouth, while Labour lost all five of its seats and Reform gained five seats.

Hampshire County Council

Hampshire County Council also ended without a majority party after the Conservatives lost 29 seats and Reform gained 20. The Liberal Democrats also held on to Eastleigh Borough Council, adding another result in the South of England count to a night that shifted control in Portsmouth and removed Labour’s majority in Southampton.