Hillingdon Borough Council (HBC) will remain Conservative-controlled, despite the party losing several key councils across London.
Labour were able to flip three seats, but it was not enough to have a solid impact on the Tories, who with 30 seats out of a possible 53, remain in control.
Northwood, Northwood Hills, Ruislip, Ruislip Manor and South Ruislip were all won by the Conservative Party. Previously there were 65 councillors in Hillingdon, but due to recent boundary changes this has been reduced.
Despite the small gains made, the result will be a disappointment for the local Labour Party, who had been targeting a Hillingdon win as a symbolic one, as the home borough of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The three seats flipped were two in Yiewsley and one in Uxbridge.
The Conservatives will be most relieved, with many national party officials expressing concern about the loss of the borough across the pre-election campaign. The party has been in control since 2006.
Though the Lib Dems hoped for a breakthrough this year, they remain a party with no representation on HBC, this coming on what’s been an otherwise hopeful night across the country for a party still reeling from the disastrous 2015 general election.
The Greens also failed to make a dent, as well as the minority independent, UKIP, SDP and TUSC candidates who also ran in Hillingdon.
However, across the capital, it’s not been a positive night for the Tories. This result leaves Hillingdon one of only four London boroughs currently under Conservative control, after former strongholds Barnet, Wandsworth and Westminster fell to Labour control.
Conservative MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, David Simmonds, tweeted: “Constituents in Hillingdon will be relieved to know the council is now officially Conservative run.”
However, speaking to the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, he said: “Clearly, the Prime Minister has got some difficult questions to answer.
“The overwhelming message that I heard on the doorsteps were broadly positive about the government’s policies, but they’re not happy about what they’ve been hearing about Partygate.
“He (the PM) said he would take full responsibility for these election results, and I think he needs to come up and answer people’s question now.”
Hillingdon Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens have all been contacted for comment.
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