The 2026 Brent London Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2026, as part of the 2026 United Kingdom local elections. All 57 seats on Brent London Borough Council were contested. The election took place alongside local elections in the other London boroughs.
The council had been under Labour majority control prior to the election. At the election, the council went under no overall control. Labour remained the largest party, but fell three seats short of an overall majority. At the subsequent annual council meeting on 20 May 2026 the incumbent leader of the council, Muhammed Butt, was re-appointed to the role, leading a Labour minority administration.
Background
History The thirty-two London boroughs were established in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. They are the principal authorities in Greater London and have responsibilities including education, housing, planning, highways, social services, libraries, recreation, waste, environmental health and revenue collection. Some of the powers are shared with the Greater London Authority, which also manages passenger transport, police and fire.
Since its formation, Brent has been variously under Labour control, no overall control and Conservative control. Only Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors have been elected to the council. The council has had an overall Labour majority since the 2010 election. The Liberal Democrats lost all but one of their seats in the 2014 election and lost their final seat in the 2018 election, but returned to the council in the most recent election in 2022 winning three councillors. The incumbent leader of the council is Muhammed Butt, who has held that position since 2014.
Council term Kathleen Fraser was suspended from the Labour group in June 2025 pending the outcome of an investigation. In October 2025, Labour councillor Rajan Seelan defected to the Conservatives. In December 2025, five Labour councillors defected to form the first Green grouping on the council. In March 2026, one Labour councillor defected to Your Party. Sunita Hirani was suspended from the Conservatives in April 2026.
Electoral process Brent, like all other London borough councils, elects all of its councillors at once every four years; the previous election was in 2022. The election uses multi-member first-past-the-post voting, with each ward being represented by two or three councillors. Electors have as many votes as there are councillors to be elected in their ward; the top two or three are elected.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in London aged 18 or over are entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different council areas, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in person at polling stations takes place from 7:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters can apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.
Council composition After 2022 election Before 2026 election After 2026 election Party Seats Party Seats Party Seats 49 41 26 5 5 11 3 3 11 5 9 2 1
Results summary
Ward results
Alperton
Barnhill
Brondesbury Park
Cricklewood and Mapesbury
Dollis Hill
Harlesden and Kensal Green
Kenton
Kilburn
Kingsbury
Northwick Park
Preston
Queens Park
Queensbury
Roundwood
Stonebridge
Sudbury
Tokyngton
Welsh Harp
Wembley Central
Wembley Hill
Wembley Park
Willesden Green
References