Labour kept control of Enfield council on Thursday after holding the 38 seats they took into the 2022 election, but the Conservatives had a successful night gaining seven councillors and shutting out any other party from the area.
The election results mean that all of Enfield’s 63 seats are held by either Labour or Tory councillors, after the Greens, the Liberal Democrats and the Independent Community First Group, a group of former Labour councillors, lost their two, one and seven councillors respectively.
Every Enfield ward now only contains councillors from a single party, with Labour controlling Bowes, Brimsdown, Bullsmore, Carterhatch, Edmonton Green, Enfield Lock, Haselbury, Jubilee, Lower Edmonton, New South Gate, Palmer’s Green, Ponders End, Southbury, Upper Edmonton and Lower Edmonton.
While the Conservatives won Arnos Grove, Bush Hill Park, Cockfosters, Grange Park, Oakwood, Ridgeway, South Gate, Town, Whitewebbs and Winchmore Hill, in addition the 18 wards they held prior to the election.
Labour’s Nesil Caliskan remains the leader of Enfield council, and speaking to North West Londoner after the results were announced, said: “I think this has been a real solid victory for Labour.”
Key talking points employed by Labour during the campaign included a focus on public lack of trust in the Conservatives with significant emphasis on lockdown rule-breaking at Downing Street and criticisms of the rising cost of living.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives put significant energy into objecting to Labour’s planned demolition of green belts in the borough, where they plan to construct new housing.
In his acceptance speech, Paul Pratt, one of the two Conservative candidates elected in Arnos Grove said: “It’s important that the residents of Arnos Grove are represented by two local councillors who can act for them with understanding of the area and issues specifically related to the ward.”
While Rick Jewell, a Labour councillor re-elected for Southbury, told journalists at the count: “Who’s going to trust Boris Johnson, I don’t think some of the Tories, if they were being honest, trust him.”
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