Wandsworth London Borough Council

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The local borough in which Downing Street and Buckingham Palace both sit has voted Labour councillors into power for the first time in its history.

City of Westminster Council has been "true blue" ever since the borough was formed in the 1960s.

Wandsworth, too, has long been Conservative. It was Margaret Thatcher's favourite council and pioneered her Right to Buy scheme. #

So what has turned voters against the party they have previously favoured at the ballot box?

I've been out speaking to voters gathering their reaction to two of Labour's huge election gains.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Ashley Halton, 20, said he voted for the Green Party because he thought the power-switch between the two main parties was a distraction from what really mattered.

Conservative leaflets in the borough were printed with a green colour scheme instead of the traditional party colours of blue, in what some said was an attempt to distance the local party from Downing Street.

"I voted Green because I believe we should save the environment," Mr Halton said.

"I don't drive so arguments about traffic flow are not an issue for me.

"I voted to save the planet and stop climate change and none of the rest of it matters."

BBCCopyright: BBC

Outside Clapham Junction train station in the borough of Wandsworth, the tide of commuters is in full flow.

A good number of them say they haven't voted in the local elections, they didn't know one was happening, or they haven't seen the results.

But, some are pleased to wake up to the news the Conservatives have lost what has been a powerbase for the best part of half a century.

Annabel Hill, 30, said political views in her family were mixed and some were die-hard party supporters no matter what, but others had shifted alliance.

The teacher from Wandsworth said: "The Tories have been in power for 12 years and people are starting to get a bit sick of it.

"Anything that makes Boris Johnson's life that little bit more difficult has got to be a good thing.

"I think the (lockdown) parties did have an impact for some but, although you would hope that would cause people to turn their backs on the Conservatives, others will vote for them until the end, no matter what."

Ms Hill added she was shocked at the number of MPs under investigation for sexual offences at Westminster and wanted to see more women in politics to "clean up" the system and "standing up for things that matter" like education.

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Wandsworth first turned blue in 1978 and has been in Tory control ever since, until Labour's overnight gain.

Reportedly Margaret Thatcher's favourite Conservative council, the authority was an early proponent of Thatcherite policies, including the right-to-buy and the privatisation of local services.

Wandsworth boasts one of the lowest average council tax rates in England, with Boris Johnson pointing to the low rates as an example of Conservative party competence in local office.

The borough's new Labour leader Simon Hogg promised to "build a compassionate council that truly listens, and keep that same low council tax".

He added: "When we were calling around on voters we didn't even have to raise partygate, we didn't have to mention Boris Johnson.

"People have formed their own views on this Government, so I am afraid it is time for change at the top as well."

Two pictures from separate counts showing a range of emotions.

First, the joy of Labour supporters in Westminster as they take hold of the council for the first time ever.

Below, a Conservative Party supporter pauses for a moment reflecting on the Tories defeat in Wandsworth Council.

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ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Labour's London Mayor Sadiq Khan has tweeted a photograph of himself standing beside Labour councillor Simon Hogg.

Alongside the photograph, Mr Khan wrote: "The three words we've wanted to hear for so long: WANDSWORTH LABOUR GAIN "The first Labour council leader of Wandsworth in 44 years..

"Congratulations CllrSimonHogg"

Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan has tweeted a photograph of himself standing beside Labour councillor Simon Hogg.

Alongside the photograph, Mr Khan wrote: "The three words we've wanted to hear for so long: WANDSWORTH LABOUR GAIN "The first Labour council leader of Wandsworth in 44 years..

"Congratulations CllrSimonHogg"

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has arrived at the Wandsworth count, a potential sign of growing Labour confidence.

Mr Khan, the former MP for Tooting which is in the borough, did arrive with a certain spring in his step though, according to sources.

Three wards have been declared in Wandsworth so far - Labour has taken two seats from the Conservatives in Wandle (where Mr Khan grew up), while Nine Elms has returned two Tory councillors and Falconbrooke returned two Labour councillors.

Full results are not expected until 06.30 BST.

The former leader of Wandsworth Council and a key ally of Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been spotted at the count looking concerned.

Lord Lister was head of Wandsworth Council from 1992 to 2011, when the council made headlines for privatising many of its services.

He then went to work for Mr Johnson during his tenure as mayor of London. Lord Lister, who was knighted in 2011, eventually became chief of staff to the mayor of London and deputy mayor for policy and planning at City Hall.

When Mr Johnson became prime minister he created a role for Lord Lister as chief strategic adviser to the prime minister.

He's a man who knows Wandsworth well and what the impact would be on the prime minister if Labour won the council.

What could he be thinking?

Senior Wandsworth Tory source says it looks "very likely" that they have lost control of Wandsworth in south-west London.

Conservatives have run the council since 1978.

The source says Labour supporters have turned out and Tories have stayed at home.

“Our voters are generally not very happy at the moment….but this is a mid-term thing," the source said.

There has been discontent with the cost of living and partygate. But a source says it is also something that Boris Johnson can come back from with a “return to proper Conservative policies, none of this wishy-washy stuff”.

All thee parliamentary seats are Labour. Putney was Labour’s only win of the night in 2019. It also voted heavily to remain, in the 2016 referendum.

The source says the demographics have been moving against the Conservatives for some time.

Twenty one areas in London are to get mass testing for coronavirus.

The kits, which can deliver results within 15 minutes, are being rolled out to select areas across the country.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the tests would help to detect asymptomatic cases.

The areas in London getting the kits are:

Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Brent, Camden, City of London, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and Wandsworth.

Luke Harding/Wandsworth CouncilCopyright: Luke Harding/Wandsworth Council

A railway arch in Nine Elms leading to the new Northern Line Extension stations is set to be transformed.

Wandsworth Council in partnership with the London Festival of Architecture is launching an open call for designers, architects and artists to improve the historic railway arch known as Arch 42.

It will be a key public route leading to new London Underground stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station, linking up with pedestrian and cycle routes running through Nine Elms.

Leader of Wandsworth Council, councillor Ravi Govindia said he was “delighted” that a new route will help to “bring together residents and businesses on both sides of the railway line and provide a new attraction for visitors to the area.”

The competition follows the 2019’s ‘Happy Street’ redesign of the Thessaly Road underpass in Nine Elms by artist Yinka Ilori, also organised by Wandsworth Council and the London Festival of Architecture (LFA).

To encourage more people to participate in the competition, the council and LFA are hosting an online meeting on Tuesday, 29 September to discuss how to put a successful competition submission together.

You can find out how to prepare an entry at www.londonfestivalofarchitecture.org

The deadline for the first stage of the competition – a simple call for expressions of interest – is noon on Friday 23 October.