Last week's Brent Council election result re-called the 2006 election that also resulted in No Overall Control. In the 2006 case Labour did not want to go into coalition with anothe party after losing 14 seats. There was an interregnum when officers ran the council and eventually a Lib-Dem Tory Coalition was formed with Paul Lorber (Lib Dem) as leader and Bob Blackman (then leader of Brent Conservatives) as deputy leader.
Today's situation is different with multiple parties but there are also similarities. In 2026 Brent Greens won a higher percentage of aggregate votes than Lib Dems or Tories but fewer seats. 20 years ago Labour won a higher perceptage of votes than the Lib Dems but fewer seats. This comes from their vote being more widely spread across the borough rather than concentrated in a few seats.
In 2006 there were only three main parties jockeying for position but this year there are five. A Lib Dem - Tory coalition this year would not produce a majority council (22 councillors againt Labour's 26). If Greens joined them they would have a majority (31against 26), alternatively a Labour-Conservative coalition (one has been rumoured from several sources without any evidence) would have a majority (37 against 20)
Other arrangements, short of a formal coalition, are also possible but concerns over the stability of the council over a 4 year period would arise.
The Annual General Meeting of Brent Council is timetabled for Wednesday May 20th when leadership committee positions will be decided.
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