Leeds City Council in 'uncharted territory' as Labour loses overall control amid Green and Reform gains

Leeds has been plunged into “uncharted territory” after Labour lost overall control of the city council.

On a historic day at the John Charles Centre for Sport, Labour’s council stronghold was lost after they fell from 56 seats to 48 - shy of the 50 they needed to maintain an overall majority.

Discussions on future options, including whether to form a minority administration, run by Labour, or a coalition council between the parties, are due to take place ahead of the next council meeting on May 20.

Greens and Reform UK both made significant gains in key areas including Headingley and Morley respectively, while the Conservative opposition retained their seats.

“We’re into uncharted territory here in Leeds, with Labour out of control,” said Conservative leader Alan Lamb. “They have lost in places that you never would have imagined when I joined the council 20 years ago - even two years ago you’d never have imagined some of the seats they’ve lost so far.

“The electorate have told us that we’ve got a duty to work together to address the problems and concerns that they have and find some solutions. It’s on all of us to put our party politics aside and find a way forward. The council still has to run, people are relying on its services every day.”

On a disappointing day for Labour across the country, the deputy leader of Leeds City Council Jonathan Pryor lost his Headingley and Hyde Park seat in a crushing defeat to the Green Party’s Nilesh Chohan.

Mr Pryor, who also served as the council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Transport and Sustainable Development, received 1,278 votes, while Mr Chohan received 4,334.

Following the result, the new Councillor Chohan said he was “lost for words” and “immensely proud” to be representing the ward where he was born and bred. Mr Pryor is understood to have exited the hall shortly after the result was declared.

James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said he was “hugely disappointed” by the result and believes the Labour party must “listen and reflect” on today’s results.

“There’s been some disappointing results today with lots of good, hard-working councillors, he said. “But we’ve also seen other wards where opposition parties really tried to defeat us and we’ve held on. It shows that there’s lots of people who still have faith in Labour councillors and the Labour Council in Leeds.

“I think the right thing to do is to listen and reflect on the results. There were plenty of seats in Leeds where other parties thought they had defeated us, and we came through and won, so it’s not been all bad news. I think everybody that gets elected as a councillor in the city has to do their best for the city.”

Prior to this election, Labour was the controlling party in Leeds, holding 56 of the city’s 99 council seats. Labour’s total has now dropped to 48.

The Conservatives were the second biggest party, with 13 seats - this remains the case after they held all seven of their seats, including Councillor Simon Seary in Pudsey, and won one.

Of the 36 council seats up for election this cycle, Reform UK have gained eight seats and the Greens have gained six, but lost one in Farnley and Wortley. Liberal Democrats held both their seats up for election, including their leader Stewart Galton in Rothwell.