GENERAL ELECTION

Councillors celebrate General Election success

A string of high-profile figures from the local government sector are celebrating victory in the General Election.

Shaun Davies © Telford & Wrekin Council

Shaun Davies © Telford & Wrekin Council

A string of high-profile figures from the local government sector are celebrating victory in the General Election.

Local Government Association (LGA) chair Shaun Davies is among the councillors set to swap the council chamber for the House of Commons.

Following his election as Labour MP for Telford, Cheshire West and Chester Council's leader Louise Gittins will take over as LGA chair with immediate effect, as predicted in The MJ.

Cllr Gittins said: ‘We are delighted that many new MPs come from the local government family and have had first-hand experience of these acute pressures as councillors, which should mean that securing the future of our local services will be a top priority.'

Joining Davies on the Government benches will be Michael Payne, former deputy leader of the LGA Labour group who won in Gedling.

In the capital, Camden LBC leader and London Councils chair Georgia Gould won the seat of Queen's Park and Maida Vale and Enfield LBC leader Nesil Caliskan took Barking.

Redbridge LBC leader Jas Athwal was also elected in Ilford South.

Josh MacAlister, who chaired the review of children's social care, is the new Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington and West of England Mayor Dan Norris claimed a high-profile scalp in Jacob Rees-Mogg as he won in North East Somerset and Hanham.

Polly Billington, chief executive of the UK100 network, has become MP for East Thanet, also representing Labour.

For the Conservatives, former leader of Broxbourne BC, Lewis Cocking, has been elected MP for the constituency of the same name while Bradley Thomas, who stood down as leader of Wychavon DC to stand in Bromsgrove, also won his contest.

Nottinghamshire CC leader Ben Bradley lost his Mansfield seat to Labour following a defeat in May's East Midlands mayoral race. 

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council's leader Vikki Slade won Mid Dorset and North Poole for the Liberal Democrats.

GENERAL ELECTION

Councils' watershed moment

By Martin Ford | 05 June 2025

Next week’s Spending Review will have huge implications for the future finances of local government. Martin Ford looks at what we know so far, and the key qu...

GENERAL ELECTION

Leader's doubts over Kent reorganisation

By Martin Ford | 27 May 2025

Kent CC’s Reform UK leader has thrown the region’s reorganisation proposals into doubt following her opening speech to the council.

GENERAL ELECTION

Redcar & Cleveland appoints managing director

By Martin Ford | 21 May 2025

A new managing director has been appointed at Redcar & Cleveland BC.

GENERAL ELECTION

'Mayors must focus on metropolitan areas' interests'

20 May 2025

The cross-party UK Mayors Group should remain as an urban collective as the Government actively expands the number of directly-elected figureheads, the mayor...

Martin Ford

Popular articles by Martin Ford