What you need to know as Islington heads into local elections

The turnout was 36% and there was a 5.4% swing from Labour to the Greens, who took 21.8% of the vote to Labour's 54.3% voter share.

Labour: 48 seats (+1)

Greens: 3 seats (+2)

Boundary changes increased the number of seats from 48 to 51.

Since the election four Labour councillors now sit as independents.

Professor Tony Travers, of the London School of Economics, said Islington is home of Jeremy Corbyn and Your Party, but also home of a very strong Labour majority.

The question is, can Your Party, the Greens, Independents, club together in some way to get Labour out in Islington? The answer is almost certainly not, so I think Islington looks like a Labour hold.

At the moment, Labour are dominant in London - they have 21 of its 32 councils, a record-equalling high.

The Conservatives run just five - having lost their former "crown-jewel" councils of Wandsworth and Westminster to Labour at the last borough elections in 2022.

The Liberal Democrats run three councils in south-west London and will be looking to gain Merton from Labour.

The Aspire Party run Tower Hamlets and two boroughs are currently in no overall control.

Nick Bowes, insight director from the London Communications Agency, said: "These are likely to be the most consequential elections in London, certainly for the past 20 years - possibly since the first borough elections in 1964."

He added: "The ways things are fragmenting in the polls it's very difficult to predict exactly what's going to happen but it does look like being a very bad night for Labour and the Conservatives in London."

More than six million Londoners can vote in the council elections on Thursday 7 May 2026.

All 32 London boroughs are up for election.

There are also elections for the mayor in five boroughs: Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham and Tower Hamlets.

All candidates in the Islington Council election are listed on the borough's website.

Use our tool to see what elections are being held in your area.

The deadline to register to vote is Monday 20 April 2026.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is Tuesday 21 April 2026 at 17:00 BST - you must be registered to vote before you can receive a postal vote.

The deadline to change existing postal or proxy voting arrangements is also Tuesday 21 April 2026 at 17:00.

The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is Tuesday 28 April 2026 at 17:00.

Photographic voter ID is required to vote at a polling station - if you do not have valid Voter ID, the deadline to apply for photo ID to vote (called a Voter Authority Certificate) for this election is Tuesday 28 April 2026 at 17:00.

Election Day: Thursday 7 May 2026 from 07:00 to 22:00.

You can find more information about voting in Islington on the borough's website.

The London Borough of Islington is located in north London and is part of Inner London. It is bordered by Haringey to the north, Hackney to the east, the City of London to the south, and Camden to the west.

What's it like? Islington is a densely populated inner-city borough characterised by a mixture of residential Georgian squares and commercial urban centres.

It serves as a major transport and cultural hub for north London, containing significant retail, theatre, and professional sporting infrastructure.

Neighbourhoods: Angel, Islington, Highbury, Holloway, Finsbury Park, Archway, Tufnell Park, Barnsbury, Canonbury, and Clerkenwell.

Places of interest: The borough is home to Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium and several major performing arts venues including Sadler's Wells Theatre, the Almeida Theatre, and the Union Chapel.

Historical and educational sites include the London Canal Museum, the Garden Museum, and the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art.

Pub quiz fact: Islington was the home of the first Gainsborough Studios, where Alfred Hitchcock directed several of his early films.

Population: In 2024 the population was estimated to be223,024.

Demographics (ONS): According to the 2021 census, 62.2% of the population identify as white, 13.3% as black, 9.9% as Asian, 7.5% as mixed race, and 7.1% as another ethnic group.

Average property price: According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average house price in Islington in December 2025 was £700,000.

Average monthly rent: The ONS reported that the average monthly rent in January 2026 in Islington was £2,713.

Council tax: Band D council tax in the borough for 2026/27 is £2,022.29.

Transport: Islington is served by 14 Underground and Overground stations, including major interchanges at Highbury & Islington and Farringdon (providing access to the Elizabeth Line and Thameslink).

The borough contains approximately 350 bus stops.

Originally a Saxon settlement called Giseldone, Islington grew as a vital agricultural link and water source for the City of London via the New River, completed in 1613. By the 18th Century, it was a premier leisure destination famed for its "spas" and the Sadler's Wells theatre.

The borough was a major hub for the livestock trade. The Royal Agricultural Hall, opened in 1862, hosted national cattle shows and survives today as the Business Design Centre. Islington is also synonymous with the arts and radical politics, having housed figures from George Orwell to modern political leaders.

While the area suffered significant damage during the Blitz, the late 20th Century saw a dramatic restoration of its Georgian terraces. It is also the home of Arsenal Football Club, which moved to Highbury in 1913 before opening the Emirates Stadium in 2006.

Labour has controlled Islington since 2010, but it has had no overall control for two periods. It was under Conservative control from 1968-71 and the Lib Dems ran the council for four years from 2002 to 2006.

Labour has been increasing its majority on the council since 2010.

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