Labour Party › 2021
Labour Party in 2021
Polling day: 6 May 2021. 143 councils held elections.
Summary
- Contested in 143 of 143 councils; ran for 4,729 seats.
- Won 1,346 seats (28.5% of seats up) on 27.9% of the vote.
- Net change vs each council's last appearance in this dataset: +14 seats across 45 councils up, 61 councils down, 35 flat, 2 new to the window.
- Council-control change: 0 gained, 8 lost.
Same votes, different counting rule
Compare the seats Labour Party actually won under FPTP with a proportional re-count of the same council-level votes. Positive means seats unfairly awarded by FPTP; negative means seats the party was denied by FPTP.
Where Labour Party led, as of 2021
Councils where Labour Party was the largest single party in the most recent composition snapshot at or before 2021. Greens ring councils gained at this election; reds ring those lost. Click any hex to drill in.
As of 2021
105 councils led
−8 lost this cycle
Grey hexes are councils where another party led, or where we don't have a snapshot for that year.
Council-control changes
Councils where the largest party in the running composition changed at this election. How a flip is defined →
Lost (8)
- Nuneaton and Bedworth to Conservative Party
- Southampton to Conservative Party
- Cannock Chase to Conservative Party
- Crawley to Conservative Party
- Amber Valley to Conservative Party
- Harlow to Conservative Party
- Plymouth to Conservative Party
- Bolton to Conservative Party
Where the seats came from
Per-council net seat change vs each council's prior appearance in our dataset (typically that council's previous all-out election or its last by-thirds slice). "Debut" rows are councils whose first cycle in our window is 2021 — usually the result of a boundary reorganisation or being a county outside our 2021 LEH coverage.
Seats gained (45 councils)
| Council | Won | Last cycle | Net | Vote share | Seat share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Durham | 53 | 0 (2019) | +53 | 37.2% | 42.1% |
| Salford | 52 | 16 (2019) | +36 | 57.4% | 86.7% |
| Halton | 48 | 17 (2019) | +31 | 64.3% | 88.9% |
| Northumberland | 21 | 1 (2019) | +20 | 30.5% | 31.3% |
| Cambridge | 27 | 9 (2019) | +18 | 40.7% | 64.3% |
| Oxford | 34 | 18 (2018) | +16 | 44.9% | 70.8% |
| Chorley | 29 | 13 (2019) | +16 | 49.3% | 69.0% |
| Cambridgeshire | 9 | 0 (2019) | +9 | 19.1% | 14.8% |
| Hartlepool | 11 | 3 (2019) | +8 | 31.4% | 30.6% |
| West Sussex | 9 | 1 (2019) | +8 | 19.1% | 12.9% |
| Pendle | 10 | 4 (2019) | +6 | 32.9% | 30.3% |
| Basingstoke & Deane | 10 | 4 (2019) | +6 | 19.4% | 18.5% |
| Kent | 7 | 1 (2019) | +6 | 20.4% | 8.6% |
| Barnsley | 17 | 12 (2019) | +5 | 40.8% | 81.0% |
| Warwickshire | 6 | 1 (2018) | +5 | 21.5% | 10.5% |
| Sefton | 19 | 16 (2019) | +3 | 46.4% | 79.2% |
| Sunderland | 15 | 12 (2019) | +3 | 40.1% | 53.6% |
| Buckinghamshire | 4 | 1 (2017) | +3 | 14.2% | 2.7% |
| Lancashire | 32 | 30 (2017) | +2 | 34.8% | 38.1% |
| Gateshead | 19 | 17 (2019) | +2 | 46.7% | 79.2% |
| Trafford | 16 | 14 (2019) | +2 | 45.5% | 64.0% |
| South Tyneside | 16 | 14 (2019) | +2 | 43.4% | 80.0% |
| Oxfordshire | 16 | 14 (2017) | +2 | 21.5% | 25.4% |
| St Helens | 12 | 10 (2019) | +2 | 41.9% | 70.6% |
| Exeter | 11 | 9 (2019) | +2 | 44.4% | 78.6% |
| West Lancashire | 9 | 7 (2019) | +2 | 41.4% | 47.4% |
| Rossendale | 7 | 5 (2019) | +2 | 45.7% | 58.3% |
| North Hertfordshire | 5 | 3 (2019) | +2 | 27.7% | 33.3% |
| Surrey | 2 | 0 (2019) | +2 | 11.4% | 2.5% |
| Manchester | 33 | 32 (2019) | +1 | 65.5% | 97.1% |
| North Tyneside | 18 | 17 (2019) | +1 | 48.6% | 78.3% |
| Newcastle Upon Tyne | 18 | 17 (2019) | +1 | 39.2% | 64.3% |
| Knowsley | 12 | 11 (2019) | +1 | 55.1% | 70.6% |
| Kirklees | 12 | 11 (2019) | +1 | 35.5% | 48.0% |
| Reading | 10 | 9 (2019) | +1 | 40.5% | 58.8% |
| Shropshire | 9 | 8 (2017) | +1 | 18.0% | 12.3% |
| Bolton | 7 | 6 (2019) | +1 | 35.3% | 33.3% |
| Milton Keynes | 7 | 6 (2019) | +1 | 34.0% | 33.3% |
| Worthing | 6 | 5 (2019) | +1 | 34.6% | 46.2% |
| Southend On Sea | 6 | 5 (2019) | +1 | 26.1% | 31.6% |
| Adur | 5 | 4 (2018) | +1 | 31.4% | 27.8% |
| East Sussex | 5 | 4 (2017) | +1 | 15.3% | 10.0% |
| Watford | 4 | 3 (2019) | +1 | 28.5% | 30.8% |
| Colchester | 4 | 3 (2019) | +1 | 22.5% | 21.1% |
| Hampshire | 3 | 2 (2017) | +1 | 12.6% | 3.8% |
Seats lost (61 councils)
| Council | Won | Last cycle | Net | Vote share | Seat share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preston | 10 | 30 (2019) | -20 | 42.5% | 62.5% |
| Norwich | 8 | 27 (2019) | -19 | 41.6% | 61.5% |
| Hastings | 7 | 24 (2018) | -17 | 37.0% | 43.8% |
| Rotherham | 32 | 48 (2016) | -16 | 41.4% | 54.2% |
| Bristol, City Of | 24 | 37 (2016) | -13 | 31.9% | 34.3% |
| Crawley | 6 | 19 (2019) | -13 | 39.5% | 42.9% |
| Derbyshire | 14 | 24 (2017) | -10 | 33.1% | 21.9% |
| Warrington | 36 | 45 (2016) | -9 | 38.9% | 62.1% |
| Nottinghamshire | 15 | 23 (2017) | -8 | 31.6% | 22.7% |
| Dudley | 3 | 11 (2019) | -8 | 33.4% | 11.5% |
| Worcestershire | 3 | 10 (2017) | -7 | 19.8% | 5.3% |
| Gloucester | 3 | 10 (2016) | -7 | 17.7% | 7.7% |
| Sandwell | 18 | 24 (2019) | -6 | 53.1% | 66.7% |
| Oldham | 9 | 15 (2019) | -6 | 39.4% | 45.0% |
| Suffolk | 5 | 11 (2017) | -6 | 21.5% | 6.7% |
| Staffordshire | 4 | 10 (2017) | -6 | 26.2% | 6.5% |
| Harlow | 1 | 7 (2019) | -6 | 35.6% | 7.7% |
| Norfolk | 12 | 17 (2017) | -5 | 22.1% | 14.3% |
| Lincoln | 5 | 10 (2019) | -5 | 40.7% | 45.5% |
| Plymouth | 5 | 10 (2019) | -5 | 34.0% | 26.3% |
| Nuneaton & Bedworth | 1 | 6 (2018) | -5 | 26.3% | 5.9% |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 0 | 5 (2019) | -5 | 24.0% | 0.0% |
| Southampton | 5 | 9 (2019) | -4 | 37.7% | 31.3% |
| Cannock Chase | 0 | 4 (2019) | -4 | 29.2% | 0.0% |
| North East Lincolnshire | 0 | 4 (2019) | -4 | 25.6% | 0.0% |
| Doncaster | 40 | 43 (2017) | -3 | 46.5% | 72.7% |
| Bradford | 15 | 18 (2019) | -3 | 40.0% | 45.5% |
| Stroud | 15 | 18 (2016) | -3 | 25.8% | 29.4% |
| Ipswich | 8 | 11 (2019) | -3 | 39.2% | 44.4% |
| Hyndburn | 6 | 9 (2019) | -3 | 48.0% | 46.2% |
| Stevenage | 6 | 9 (2019) | -3 | 37.7% | 42.9% |
| Peterborough | 4 | 7 (2019) | -3 | 30.6% | 17.4% |
| Amber Valley | 3 | 6 (2019) | -3 | 35.5% | 18.8% |
| Basildon | 3 | 6 (2019) | -3 | 22.9% | 20.0% |
| Liverpool | 23 | 25 (2019) | -2 | 50.0% | 74.2% |
| Wolverhampton | 14 | 16 (2019) | -2 | 47.3% | 63.6% |
| Calderdale | 8 | 10 (2019) | -2 | 37.3% | 42.1% |
| Hertfordshire | 7 | 9 (2017) | -2 | 21.2% | 9.0% |
| Swindon | 5 | 7 (2019) | -2 | 33.0% | 23.8% |
| Leicestershire | 4 | 6 (2017) | -2 | 20.2% | 7.3% |
| Lincolnshire | 4 | 6 (2017) | -2 | 17.6% | 5.7% |
| Runnymede | 0 | 2 (2019) | -2 | 16.9% | 0.0% |
| Wigan | 19 | 20 (2019) | -1 | 49.8% | 73.1% |
| Tameside | 16 | 17 (2019) | -1 | 50.8% | 84.2% |
| Wakefield | 13 | 14 (2019) | -1 | 45.2% | 59.1% |
| Coventry | 13 | 14 (2019) | -1 | 43.6% | 68.4% |
| Slough | 11 | 12 (2019) | -1 | 57.6% | 78.6% |
| Blackburn With Darwen | 11 | 12 (2019) | -1 | 55.4% | 64.7% |
| Kingston Upon Hull | 9 | 10 (2019) | -1 | 35.5% | 47.4% |
| Burnley | 5 | 6 (2019) | -1 | 34.0% | 33.3% |
| Essex | 5 | 6 (2017) | -1 | 17.1% | 6.7% |
| Thurrock | 4 | 5 (2019) | -1 | 33.2% | 23.5% |
| West Oxfordshire | 3 | 4 (2019) | -1 | 22.5% | 17.6% |
| Rugby | 2 | 3 (2019) | -1 | 27.2% | 13.3% |
| Redditch | 0 | 1 (2019) | -1 | 31.2% | 0.0% |
| Tamworth | 0 | 1 (2019) | -1 | 28.7% | 0.0% |
| Wokingham | 0 | 1 (2019) | -1 | 15.9% | 0.0% |
| Solihull | 0 | 1 (2019) | -1 | 12.9% | 0.0% |
| Gosport | 0 | 1 (2018) | -1 | 12.8% | 0.0% |
| Brentwood | 0 | 1 (2019) | -1 | 11.4% | 0.0% |
| St Albans | 0 | 1 (2019) | -1 | 11.1% | 0.0% |
Debut councils (2)
| Council | Won | Vote share | Seat share |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Northamptonshire | 20 | 25.0% | 21.5% |
| North Northamptonshire | 14 | 29.6% | 17.9% |
No change (35)
- Leeds 19 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Rochdale 16 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Sheffield 13 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Wirral 10 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Bury 9 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Stockport 8 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Walsall 7 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Devon 7 seats (unchanged from 2017)
- Derby 5 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Gloucestershire 5 seats (unchanged from 2017)
- Cornwall 5 seats (unchanged from 2017)
- Rushmoor 3 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Worcester 3 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Cherwell 3 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Wiltshire 3 seats (unchanged from 2017)
- Portsmouth 2 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Tunbridge Wells 2 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Broxbourne 1 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Maidstone 1 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Three Rivers 1 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Isle Of Wight 1 seats (unchanged from 2017)
- Woking 1 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Havant 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Reigate & Banstead 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Epping Forest 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Castle Point 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Fareham 0 seats (unchanged from 2018)
- Eastleigh 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Rochford 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Tandridge 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Elmbridge 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Hart 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Mole Valley 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Cheltenham 0 seats (unchanged from 2018)
- Winchester 0 seats (unchanged from 2019)
Net-change comparisons are versus each council's most recent appearance in our dataset (2021–2026). For all-out councils that's the previous all-out cycle (typically four years prior); for by-thirds councils it's last year's slice. Cross-cycle ward boundary changes can produce small artefacts — see methodology.