Green gains see Labour lose control of Lewisham and Lambeth

The Green Party of England and Wales has made huge gains in former Labour strongholds in south London, with Sir Keir Starmer's party losing control of Lewisham and Lambeth. Hailing the result in Lewisham, where the Greens won a majority, leader Zack Polanski said his party was "replacing" Labour. In Lambeth, the Greens gained 27 seats to become the largest party, although they fell just short of an overall majority. Overall the party gained more than 440 councillors across England and won its first-ever elected mayors in Hackney and Lewisham. It means the Greens have won control of three councils in the capital, along with Waltham Forest and Hackney in north-east London. In Lewisham - where Labour have been the largest party since 1971 - the Greens toppled a huge majority, winning 40 seats to gain control of the council. The last time the council was up for election in 2022, Labour won every single seat. In Lambeth, the Greens gained 27 seats, pushing Labour out of power in the borough for the first time since 2006. In results on Friday, the party also made big gains in Hackney and Islington, where Labour held on to power despite a Green surge. Outside the capital, the Green Party'