2026 Tower Hamlets London Borough Council election

2026 UK local government election From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2026 Tower Hamlets London Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2026, as part of the 2026 United Kingdom local elections. All 45 members of Tower Hamlets London Borough Council will be elected, with the 2026 Tower Hamlets mayoral election taking place at the same time to determine the council's leader. The election will take place alongside the local elections in the other London boroughs.[2][3]

Quick facts All 45 seats to Tower Hamlets London Borough Council 23 seats needed for a majority, Leader ...
2026 Tower Hamlets London Borough Council election
← 2022
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
2030 →
All 45 seats to Tower Hamlets London Borough Council
23 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Lutfur Rahman Sirajul Islam Zamir Ali
Party Aspire Labour Independent
Last election 24 seats, 37.0% 19 seats, 36.5% 0 seats, 0.9%
Current seats 22[a][1] 16 5
 
Leader Nathalie Bienfait Peter Golds
Party Green Conservative
Last election 1 seat, 8.9% 1 seat, 7.7%
Current seats 1 1
Incumbent Mayor

Lutfur Rahman
Aspire


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Background

Result of the 2022 council election

The thirty-two London boroughs were established in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. They are the principal authorities in Greater London and have responsibilities including education, housing, planning, highways, social services, libraries, recreation, waste, environmental health and revenue collection. Some powers are shared with the Greater London Authority, which also manages passenger transport, police, and fire.[4]

Since its formation, Tower Hamlets had generally been under Labour control. The SDP–Liberal Alliance won a majority of seats in the 1986 election, and the newly formed Liberal Democrats won a majority in the 1990 election. There was also a period of no overall control from 2014 to 2018. From 1990 to 2006, all councillors elected to the council were Labour or Liberal Democrats. In the 2006 election, Labour maintained its majority by winning 26 seats, but the new Respect Party won twelve seats, with the Conservatives on seven and the Liberal Democrats on six.[5] In the 2010 election Respect lost all but one of its seats, with Labour winning 41, the Conservatives winning eight and the Liberal Democrats winning one. Respect was the only party to advocate a change in executive arrangements at the council by the introduction of a directly elected mayor of Tower Hamlets. A mayoral petition was successfully arranged by the Respect activist Abjol Miah, which was successful.[6]

The Labour councillor Lutfur Rahman, who had been leader of the council from 2008 until he was replaced in 2010 after a Channel 4 documentary linked him to the Islamic Forum of Europe, was selected as his party's candidate for the mayoralty in 2010.[7] He was removed as the candidate by the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party after "very serious allegations" about the selection.[8] He subsequently ran as an independent candidate with support from Respect.[9][10] Rahman was elected in the October 2010 election with more than half of the vote in the first round.[11] Rahman established a new political party called Tower Hamlets First in 2013. He ran for re-election as the Tower Hamlets First candidate in 2014, being re-elected in the second round against the Labour candidate John Biggs.[12] In the concurrent council election, Tower Hamlets First won 18 seats, with Labour on 22 and the Conservatives on 5, resulting in no overall control of the council.[13]

In 2015, Rahman was removed from office and his election was declared void after he was found guilty of electoral fraud. He was barred from seeking re-election for five years.[14][15] Tower Hamlets First was de-registered as a political party by the Electoral Commission shortly after.[16] In the 2015 re-run of the mayoral election, Rahman endorsed the independent candidate Rabina Khan.[17] Khan had been elected as a Labour councillor in 2010 but had been suspended for supporting Rahman's initial 2010 election, and had been re-elected in the 2014 council election as a Tower Hamlets First councillor.[18][19] Biggs won the election.[20] The former Tower Hamlets First councillors formed the Tower Hamlets Independent Group. Khan formed the breakaway group the People's Alliance of Tower Hamlets (PATH) with some other Tower Hamlets Independent Group councillors, which was formally registered in 2018.[21] The remaining Tower Hamlets Independent Group councillors formed the new party Aspire.[22]

In the 2018 council election, Labour won 42 seats with 46.1% of the vote, while the Conservatives won two seats with 9.9% of the vote across the borough. Khan was elected as a councillor for PATH, with her party winning 11.3% of the vote across the borough. Aspire lost all their representation, winning no seats with 15.4% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats received 8.6% of the vote and the Green Party received 7.9% of the vote, but neither won any seats.[23]

In the 2022 elections, Aspire regained control of the council from Labour, winning 24 seats, and also won the mayoralty with Lutfur Rahman returning as mayor. Reduced to 19 seats, this is the lowest ever number of seats Labour have ever held in the history of Tower Hamlets; the Conservatives retained one seat, while the Green Party gained one seat.

Electoral process

Tower Hamlets, like other London borough councils, elects all of its councillors at once every four years. The previous election took place in 2022. The election took place by multi-member first-past-the-post voting, with each ward being represented by two or three councillors. Electors had as many votes as there are councillors to be elected in their ward, with the top two or three being elected.

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in London aged 18 or over were entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, were entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities.[24]

Previous council composition

More information After 2022 election, Before 2026 election ...
After 2022 election Before 2026 election
Party Seats Party Seats
Aspire 24 Aspire 22
Labour 19 Labour 16
Conservative 1 Conservative 1
Green 1 Green 1
Independent 0 Independent 5
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Changes 2022–2026:

  • November 2023: Ayas Miah (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent[25]
  • 2024: Sabina Khan (Labour) joins Aspire[26]
  • June 2024: Sabina Akhtar (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent[27]
  • August 2024: Rachel Blake (Labour) resigns – by-election held September 2024[28]
  • September 2024: Abdi Mohamed (Labour) wins by-election;[29] Kabir Hussain (Aspire) leaves party to sit as an independent[30]
  • October 2024: Saif Uddin Khaled (Aspire) and Ohid Ahmed (Aspire) leave party to sit as independents[31]
  • November 2024: Jahed Choudhury (Aspire) leaves party to sit as an independent; Sabina Akhtar (independent) joins Aspire[32]

Ward Results

The Tower Hamlets council announced the list of nominated candiates for each website on their website on the 10 April 2026.[33]

Bethnal Green East

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bethnal Green East (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Aspire Syed Abdullah
Tower Hamlets Independents Md Ahmed
The Forward Party Adham Alkhatip
Green Rebecca Binns
Conservative Ana Campillo
TUSC Robbie Davidson
Liberal Democrats Freda Graf
Tower Hamlets Independents Muhebul Hasan
Labour Nazma Hussain
Aspire Halima Islam
Aspire Ahmodul Kabir*
Tower Hamlets Independents Md Kamruzzaman
Liberal Democrats Rizgar Khourshid
Liberal Democrats Fraser King
Green Liam McQuade
Labour Martin Nesbit
Conservative Marc Pisanski
Labour Rebekah Sultana*
Reform Thomas Gareth
Conservative Richard Trounson
Green Harriet Walsh
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Bethnal Green West

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bethnal Green West (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ahmed Ahmed
Aspire Musthak Ahmed*
Conservative Peter Bowring
Aspire Abu Chowdhury*
Liberal Democrats Warwick Danks
Green Mae Dobbs
Labour Carmie Greusard-Deffeuille
TUSC Clive Heemskerk
Tower Hamlets Independents Muhibul Hoque
Labour Gulay Icoz
Tower Hamlets Independents Avi Islam
Tower Hamlets Independents Nasir Jilani
Liberal Democrats Sundar Joshi
Labour Tarik Khan
Independent Ted Maxwell
Green Chelsea Omoogun
Liberal Democrats Paula Palmer
Conservative Ahmedur Rahman
Aspire Amin Rahman*
Reform Graham Wild
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Blackwall & Cubitt Town

More information Party, Candidate ...
Blackwall & Cubitt Town (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Yeashir Ahmed
Tower Hamlets Independents Zaheed Ahmed
Labour Smrity Azad
Green Hakan Bas
Liberal Democrats Shelly English
Liberal Democrats Richard Flowers
Aspire Ahmodur Khan*
Conservative Idrees Khan
Aspire Minara Khatun
Conservative Lesley Lincoln
Tower Hamlets Independents Shah Muhammad
Green Gary O'Leary
Reform Catherine Prescott
Labour Anwar Punekar
Tower Hamlets Independents Airin Sobhan
Labour Alex Stanley
Reform Richard Tudor
Aspire Bellal Uddin*
Reform Katherine Walsh
Independent Andrew Wood
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Bow East

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bow East (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Aspire Yusuf Abdi
Labour Co-op Amina Ali*
Liberal Democrats Daniel Bond
TUSC Naomi Byron
Conservative Georgie Calle
Tower Hamlets Independents Md Chowdhury
Green Mads Churchhouse
Conservative Robin Edwards
Reform John Forster
Labour Co-op Marc Francis*
Tower Hamlets Independents Delwar Hira
Aspire Mansur Hussain
Tower Hamlets Independents Md Islam
Aspire Hamida Juti
Conservative Jade Kelly
Liberal Democrats Dan Lan
Labour Co-op Abdi Mohamed*
Green Jonathan Purcell
Green Ottilie Swinyard
Reform Gary Taylor
Reform Kevin Turner
Liberal Democrats Folkert Veenstra
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Bow West

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bow West (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Aspire Syed Ahmad
Aspire Mohammed Ali
Labour Co-op Asma Begum*
Labour Co-op Kevin Brady
Conservative Debbie Buggs
Green Rupert George
Reform Robin Griffiths
Tower Hamlets Independents Momtaz Islam
Tower Hamlets Independents Sayeda Johora
Liberal Democrats Tom Kaneko
Liberal Democrats Janet Ludlow
Conservative Nick Mitev
Green Martin Parker
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Bromley North

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bromley North (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Hirra Adeogun
Reform John Bullard
Labour Hamim Chowdhury
Liberal Democrats Simon Herbert
Conservative Samia Hersi
Aspire Mohammed Ilyas
Liberal Democrats David Lurie
Aspire Abdul Mannan*
Green James Meadway
Tower Hamlets Independents Abdul Mumin
Tower Hamlets Independents Sheikh Nashar
Labour Shaheda Rahman
Conservative Alex Reeves
TUSC Lauren Riley
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Bromley South

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bromley South (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tower Hamlets Independents Liton Ahmed
Liberal Democrats Ian Burns
Aspire Bodrul Choudhury*
Green Mirren Gidda
Labour Shubo Hussain*
Conservative Matt Moorhouse
Labour Lynda Ouazar
Reform Ron Packman
Aspire Masood Rahman
Conservative David Snowdon
Green Kim Sparks
Liberal Democrats Alex Warren
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Canary Wharf

More information Party, Candidate ...
Canary Wharf (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tower Hamlets Independents Mo Aboshanab
Aspire Saied Ahmed*
Reform Jon Bidwell
Green Alexander Bishop
Liberal Democrats Michael Brand
Tower Hamlets Independents Zahid Hyath
Labour Daniel Lynch
Liberal Democrats Finlay Munn
Conservative Callum Murphy
Conservative Dominic Nolan
Green Alistair Polson
Labour Suzy Stride
Aspire Maium Talukdar*
Reform Luke Williamson
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Island Gardens

More information Party, Candidate ...
Island Gardens (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Aspire Syed Ali
Green David Allison
Green Paul Burgess
Labour Mufeedah Bustin*
TUSC Adam Gillman
Conservative Peter Golds*
Reform Michael Gray
Tower Hamlets Independents Kamrul Hashan
Liberal Democrats Christian Holland
Tower Hamlets Independents Ewan Horton
Reform Ahmed Ibrahim
Liberal Democrats Damian Johnson
Conservative Matthew Miles
Labour Ken Murphy
Aspire Sadiqur Rahman
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Lansbury

More information Party, Candidate ...
Lansbury (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Aspire Foysal Ahmed
Tower Hamlets Independents Romna Begum
Liberal Democrats Charles Du Cane
Conservative Stephen Charge
Tower Hamlets Independents Jahed Choudhury*
Reform Daniel Cunliffe
TUSC Pete Dickenson
Liberal Democrats Corie Hawkins
Aspire Iqbal Hossain*
Tower Hamlets Independents Kaisol Islam
Reform Daniel Klop
Green Simon Levey
Labour Anwar Miah
Aspire Abul Monsur
Conservative Tangai Nyampingidza
Conservative Douglas Oliver
Reform Leslie Pearce-Burden
Liberal Democrats Quintin Peppiatt
Labour Mohammed Rob
Green Daniel Smith
Labour Shajia Sultana
Green John Urpeth
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Limehouse

More information Party, Candidate ...
Limehouse (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op David Edgar 643 31.37 Decrease8.81
Green Jurgen Forster 402 19.61 Increase11.72
Aspire Masudul Karim 389 18.98 Decrease0.17
Reform Kellen Hadfield 248 12.10 N/A
Conservative Mark Wolfisz 188 9.17 Decrease13.07
Liberal Democrats Jacob Sinkins 130 6.34 Decrease4.20
Tower Hamlets Independents Jhahan Ali 50
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Mile End

More information Party, Candidate ...
Mile End (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tower Hamlets Independents Christianah Agbabiaka
Independent Iftakhar Ahmed
Labour Co-op Leelu Ahmed*
Tower Hamlets Independents Shah Alam
Liberal Democrats Rupert Bawden
Conservative Andrew Binns
Liberal Democrats Catherine Burrows
Labour Co-op Raihan Chowdhury
Green Martin Donkin
Green Hytham Emam
Liberal Democrats Conor Hilliard
Tower Hamlets Independents Nauman Iqbal
Labour Co-op Asma Islam*
Aspire Rougie Khanom
Conservative Neil King
Aspire Mohammed Mahmud
Reform Emilie Martin
Aspire Mohammed Mehdi
Green Amin Rahman
Conservative Israt Sawda
Reform Alan Walker
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Poplar

More information Party, Candidate ...
Poplar (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tower Hamlets Independents Farhad Ahmed
Aspire Gulam Choudhury*
Reform Seb Downing
Labour Zaglul Khan
Green Bethan Lant
Liberal Democrats Alan Palmer
Conservative Adrian Thompson
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Shadwell

More information Party, Candidate ...
Shadwell (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Naomi Goldberg
Green Jarod Hardcastle
Green Gunther Jancke
Liberal Democrats Rabina Khan
Reform Mark Mapstone
Aspire Ana Miah*
Aspire Mohammad Miah
Labour Muhi Mikdad
Conservative Kwame Poku
Conservative Darly Stafford
Tower Hamlets Independents Mohammed Sukur
Reform Iain Tennant
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Spitalfields & Banglatown

More information Party, Candidate ...
Spitalfields and Banglatown (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Robert Adderley
Aspire Faysal Ahmed
Aspire Suluk Ahmed*
Labour Rumana Azad
Reform Helen Biebuyck
Reform Cristina Cecchinato
Labour Shad Chowdhury
Tower Hamlets Independents Kabir Hussain*
Tower Hamlets Independents Nurul Maleque
Conservative Mohammed Miah
Conservative Terrel Mollel
Green Daniele Pollicino
Green Maggie Sawant
Liberal Democrats Gareth Shelton
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St Dunstan's

More information Party, Candidate ...
St Dunstan's (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Olivier Abelhauser
Liberal Democrats Quentin Croft
Reform Stefano Farina
Liberal Democrats Alexander Gallagher
Green Stephanie Golder
Tower Hamlets Independents Mohammad Islam
Aspire Shafiq Islam
Tower Hamlets Independents Muhammed Kamruzzaman
Labour Shahanur Khan
Conservative Gemma Larter
Aspire Shenaly Miah
Reform Owen Murphy
Labour Victoria Obaze
Green Flo Zwiers
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St Katharine's & Wapping

More information Party, Candidate ...
St Katharine's and Wapping (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Aspire Mahbub Alam 509 6.49
Liberal Democrats Guy Benson 869 11.08
Conservative Alex Brookes 357 4.55
TUSC Aysha Burton 57 0.73
Tower Hamlets Independents Mohammad Munshat Habib Chowdhury 38 0.48
Green Mareva De Coninck Moyou 598 7.62
Conservative Jane Elizabeth Emmerson 333 4.25
Green Jolley Harrison Gosnold 585 7.46
Reform Pete Holt 363 4.63
Labour Victoria Fleur Lupton 1205 15.36
Tower Hamlets Independents Salim Malik 43 0.55
Aspire Rafique Uddin 501 6.39
Labour Abdal Ullah* 1303 16.61
Liberal Democrats Seb Villars 772 9.84
Reform John Charles Hilary Wilkes 311 3.96
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Stepney Green

More information Party, Candidate ...
Stepney Green (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Aspire Sabina Akhtar*
Aspire Abdul Ali*
Reform Karen Biebuyck
Tower Hamlets Independents Hassan Diriye
Conservative Pankaj Goyal
Green Volker Gulde
Liberal Democrats Aminur Khan
Green Roderick McGlynn
Labour Sanu Miah
Labour Nanziba Nasima
Reform Anthony Newland
Tower Hamlets Independents Mohammed Rahman
Conservative Freddy Simpson
Liberal Democrats Simon Tunnicliffe
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Weavers

More information Party, Candidate ...
Weavers (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Aspire Kabir Ahmed*
Green Rakib Ahmed
Labour Amina Ali
Liberal Democrats Joseph Brazier
Reform Judy Corstjens
Conservative Sherrill Evarschi
Tower Hamlets Independents Imran Hossain
Labour Dilwar Hussan
Liberal Democrats Edward Long
Aspire Abdul Mahboob
Tower Hamlets Independents Abdullah Nazimuddin
Green Sara Petrai
Conservative Elliott Weaver
Independent Abul Zubair
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Whitechapel

More information Party, Candidate ...
Whitechapel (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Faroque Ahmed*
Aspire Shafi Ahmed*
Tower Hamlets Independents Md Akbor
Labour Shah Ameen
Tower Hamlets Independents Md Bashir
Green Phoebe Gill
Reform Warren Halpin
Liberal Democrats Mohammed Hannan
Aspire Kamrul Hussain*
Aspire Abulkashem Helal
Independent Md. Hossain
Conservative Debbie Kirk
Conservative Sonia Mironenko
TUSC Hugo Pierre
Liberal Democrats Wei Qu
Tower Hamlets Independents Md Rahman
Conservative Garry Ramsden
Green Ed Rhodes
Liberal Democrats Michael Robinson
Reform Rick Robinson
Labour Kamrun Shajahan
Green Karissa Singh
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References

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