Portsmouth local elections 2026: Lib Dems form majority
Liberal Democrats have emboldened their control in Portsmouth in forming a majority.
In the Portsmouth City Council local elections, the Liberal Democrats have currently increased their representation from 18 seats to 22.
The Liberal Democrats have gained four seats, taking them to 22 of the council’s 42 seats.
They have also successfully defended two seats, including that of council leader Steve Pitt and Matthew Winnington in Eastney and Craneswater.
Lamara Fudge, Reform UK candidate for Cosham ward has won the first seat of the night, gaining the seat from former councillor Asghar Shah.
Fudge won with 1881 votes followed closely by Shah with 1747.
The overnight count for the Portsmouth City Council local elections is under way, with the verification process taking place at the time of writing.
Once the number of ballot papers has been verified, counting is expected to begin at midnight, with the first ward declaration expected at 1am and the full declaration expected at 3am.
The council has 14 seats up for grabs, with one seat being contested in each of the city’s 14 wards.
Labour is defending five seats, the Liberal Democrats four, Reform UK three and the Conservatives two.
The current make-up of the council is 18 Liberal Democrats, who run a minority administration.
The next largest party is Reform UK with 10 seats, followed by Labour on nine, the Conservatives on four and one independent councillor.
National issues have dominated the campaign this year, with dissatisfaction with Sir Keir Starmer’s government expected to contribute to Labour losses.
The Green Party and Reform UK are expected to take a larger share of the vote, while the Liberal Democrats, who have controlled the council since 2018, will be tested on whether they can remain in charge.
So far, candidates and party representatives from most parties have declined to comment on what they expect tonight.
Members of the Liberal Democrats have expressed optimism about the night, while Labour’s mood appears more cautious.
Conservative supporters anticipate a disappointing election night, they also maintain that the Reform UK “bubble will pop” following this year’s results.
The only party willing to speak on the record before the official count was the Green Party.
Elliott Lee, Charles Dickens candidate for the Green Party, said that “people have realised that the Green Party are no longer a protest vote.
“People are feeling confident that they can vote with their hearts and I think we’re going to see that here in Portsmouth as well. We’ve had really amazing results on the doorstep.”
He said the Greens are hopeful in the south of the city, particularly in Central Southsea, Milton and St Thomas.