Haringey power shift as Green Party becomes largest group
The Haringey Council has entered a state of No Overall Control after the Green Party emerged as the largest political group in the latest local elections. Following the count at Alexandra Palace, the Greens secured 28 seats, surpassing the Labour Party’s 21 and the Liberal Democrats’ 8. This result marks a significant departure from previous administrations, where a single party held a clear majority.
The shift in power coincides with a sharp rise in local engagement. Voter turnout reached 43.81%, representing a 27% increase compared to the 2022 elections. This surge in participation followed a highly competitive campaign featuring 273 candidates—a 54% increase in the number of people standing for election.
Green Party leads in new council composition
The distribution of the 57 available seats means no single party can pass policy without support from rivals. While the Green Party holds the largest share of the chamber, they remain short of the 29 seats required for an absolute majority. The current political makeup of the council is:
* Green Party: 28
* Labour Party: 21
* Liberal Democrat Party: 8
This outcome follows the process where Haringey residents cast ballots to determine the borough’s direction for the next four years. The increased number of candidates across all wards suggests a diversifying political interest within the community, moving away from traditional two-party dynamics. The Green Party’s rise from their 2022 position indicates a significant shift in voter priorities across the borough’s diverse wards.
Record turnout and candidate numbers at Alexandra Palace
The logistics of the 2026 vote reflected the high stakes of the contest. The counting process, which concluded at Alexandra Palace, handled a significantly higher volume of ballots than in previous years. The Haringey election results confirm that the 43.81% turnout is one of the highest for a local election in the borough’s recent history, up from the lower engagement levels seen in the previous cycle.
Political analysts point to the 54% increase in candidates as a primary driver for the high turnout. With 273 individuals vying for office, more residents saw a wider variety of platforms and local issues represented on their ballot papers. This increased competition likely contributed to the fragmented result seen in the final seat tally. The sheer number of candidates meant that counting teams at Alexandra Palace faced a more complex verification process than in 2022, requiring extended hours to finalize the tallies for all wards.
Governance challenges under no overall control
The immediate impact of this result is a period of political negotiation. Haringey Council is now under No Overall Control, a status that requires parties to form a coalition or reach a “confidence and supply” agreement to function effectively. Without a majority, the Green Party must seek consensus with either Labour or the Liberal Democrats to appoint a council leader and form a cabinet.
These negotiations will determine how key local services, including housing, social care, and transport, are managed over the next four years. In a “No Overall Control” scenario, the Liberal Democrats, despite having the fewest seats of the three parties, may hold significant influence as “kingmakers” in any potential coalition discussions.
Until a formal agreement is reached, the council enters a period of transition where the previous administration remains in a caretaker capacity. The first full council meeting will be the venue where the new power-sharing structure is formally proposed and voted upon. This meeting will be the first test of whether the three parties can find common ground on the borough’s budget and long-term strategic goals.
Source: Haringey Council
