1998 Brent London Borough Council election

Background

Before the election Labour ran the council with the support of the Liberal Democrats. However the Conservatives targeted the council with the Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Norman Fowler, predicting that the Conservatives would make gains in Brent. The Conservatives required a 1% swing from the 1994 election to win a majority on the council, where previously no party had a majority.

There was one by-election in the intervening years, however it didn't result in the seat changing hands. In addition to this, a member of the Conservatives became an independent, meaning the composition of the council just before the election was as follows:

Election result

The Labour party took a 20-seat majority on the council after gaining 15 seats, with the gains including taking all of the seats in Fryent and Roe Green wards and 1 seat in Queensbury ward from the Conservatives. The Conservatives put their defeat in Brent down to the popularity of the national Labour government and unhappiness at the closure of Edgware General Hospital's casualty department by the previous Conservative government. The Liberal Democrats failed to make gains and dropped from 5 to 4 councillors. Overall turnout at the election was 36.8%, down from 48.3% in 1994.

After the elections, the composition of the council was as follows:

Ward results

(*) - Indicates an incumbent candidate

(†) - Indicates an incumbent candidate standing in a different ward

Alperton

Barham

Barnhill

Brentwater

Brondesbury Park

Carlton

Chamberlayn

Church End

Cricklewood

Fryent

Gladstone

Harlesden

Kensal Rise

Kenton

Kilburn

Kingsbury

Manor

Mapesbury

Preston

Queen's Park

Queensbury

Roe Green

Roundwood

St Andrews

St Raphael's

Stonebridge

Sudbury

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Sudbury Court

Tokyngton

Wembley Central

Willesden Green

Notes

References

References

1. "London Borough Election Results - including the Greater London Authority referendum results - Ward Voting Statistics". London Research Centre.
2. (9 May 1998). "Local Elections results". [[NewsBank]].
3. Brown, David. (16 May 1998). "Labour shrugs off 'barmy' tag to sweep back to power in Brent". [[NewsBank]].
4. Hencke, David. (17 April 1998). "Tories expect council gains". [[NewsBank]].
5. Rallings, Colin. (19 April 1998). "A Tory target in the town halls - Election". [[NewsBank]].
6. Minors, Michael. "London Borough Council Elections - 7 May 1998 - including the Greater London Authority referendum results - By-elections". London Research Centre.
7. Minors, Michael. "London Borough Council Elections - 7 May 1998 - including the Greater London Authority referendum results - Changes 1994-98". London Research Centre.
8. (16 May 1998). "Brent". [[NewsBank]].
9. "Summary of local election results in Brent". Brent Council.
10. "London Borough Council Elections - 7 May 1998 - including the Greater London Authority referendum results". London Research Centre.
11. "London Borough of Brent Election Results 1964-2010". [[Plymouth University]].
12. (19 December 2015). "Year Tables".
13. "Election Turnout in May 1998". Brent Council.