By Jamie Shapiro, Local Democracy Reporter
Labour has won Southampton’s 2023 all-out election and retained control of the city council.
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In doing so, they have taken nine seats away from the Conservatives, widening the gap between the administration and the opposition.
Labour leader Cllr Satvir Kaur, who held her seat in Shirley, said: “Labour in Southampton were in opposition two years ago so since then we have won back the council and now have the largest majority we have ever had in Southampton.
“We’ve got two-thirds of the council and the Tories are down to single digits.
“It’s because Labour are delivering for local people and people are tired of the Conservatives nationally and they are clearly sending a message that it is time for a Labour government.”
Labour weren’t the only ones who snatched seats from the Conservatives, with the Liberal Democrats taking two of them in Bassett, turning the area into an all-Liberal Democrat ward.
And as reported, the Greens claimed their first seat on the council, with new councillor Katherine Barbour taking a previously Labour place in Portswood.
TUSC, Reform UK and the two independents earned no seats.
The Coxford ward vote was abandoned after the death of Conservative candidate Graham Galton and will be held within 35 working days. It will return three candidates.
The new breakdown of the city council is:
Labour 35
Conservative 9
Liberal Democrats 3
Green 1
You can download a list of election results for all wards as a PDF from the council's website.
As reported, Bitterne Park ward now has three Labour councillors, rather than one Labour and two Conservatives, and, as reported here, Portswood ward is now represented by the city’s first Green councillor, and two Labour councillors.
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