Janet Grauberg – yellow top – is congratulated by former council leader Keith Moffitt and current councillors Tom Simon and Nancy Jirira

WEST HAMPSTEAD BY-ELECTION RESULT
JANET GRAUBERG (Lib Dems) 1,174 ELECTED

FRANCESCA REYNOLDS (Labour) 458
IAN COHEN (Local Conservatives) 222
THOMAS STERLING (Reform) 155
MATTHEW HULL (Green Party) 152

Here’s the result of the West Hampstead by-election as the Lib Dems celebrate victory for candidate Janet Grauberg. pic.twitter.com/zyMRo7XOBN

— Camden New Journal (@NewJournal) August 29, 2025

Borough solicitor Andrew Maughan reads out the result of the West Hampstead by-election

IN the end it was not a matter of who would win, but by how much.

What might have been a suspenseful evening of counting votes at the Town Hall last night (Thursday) – given Labour won all three seats in West Hampstead at the last elections – it was clear from the moment staff opened the boxes at the count that this by-election would be claimed by the Liberal Democrats.

The winner was Janet Grauberg with more than half of the vote. The name will be familiar for anybody who follows Camden’s politics as she was part of the Liberal Democrat group which rose to become the biggest party on the council back in 2006. She served then as the council’s finance chief.

The sight of the ‘winning here’ orange diamonds being held aloft on the marble staircase in Judd Street in the first hour of this morning (Friday) was almost like a flashback to that time and the party moved onto the home of alderman Flick Rea, the former councillor who had done so much to help grow their contingent in Camden by breaking out of small beginnings in the north west of the borough.

The obvious question for Cllr Grauberg was whether we would see history repeat, as the borough prepares for local elections next May. Her response suggested the ranks have been asked not to get too far ahead of themselves at this stage,

“I think an August by-election with a 26 per cent turnout is not a predictor of anything,” she said.

“Obviously the Liberal Democrats did well in the general election last year and we are hoping to do well next year but I don’t think you can read too much into this. The residents of West Hampstead liked the offer of a hard-working, experienced councillor  embedded in the community. It’s now down to me to make that happen.”

Almost immediately after the result, the prominent Liberal Democrat writer and party president Lord Mark Park raced to his blog to declare victory in ‘Keir Starmer’s backyard’ – the phrase now applied to the reporting of every political development in Camden since the Holborn and St Pancras MP became leader of the Labour Party and then Prime Minister.

And another key question in the analysis will be how much this runaway scoreline was down to a judgement on Labour’s local performance running the council and how far voters wanted to send a verdict on the party’s first year in government – and how either will play out in the coming months.

Cllr Grauberg said: “The campaign we ran was about local issues and it resonated with people. The things we were talking about were rubbish on the streets, drug-taking in the streets, overdevelopment at the 02 Centre. I think that’s what they voted for.”

Group leader Tom Simon, the leader of the opposition in Camden, said: “I’m so pleased that Janet has won – she’s worked so hard for West Hampstead for a very long time. I think she has earned this victory and her place on the council, and it’s going to be great having her in the Lib Dem group. It moves us up to six (councillors) and reinforces us as the main opposition on the council and we are looking forward to May next year where I hope we can build on this.”

The Lib Dems celebrate on the Town Hall staircase at 00.45am

The result makes winning the other two seats in West Hampstead held by Labour obvious targets for the Liberal Democrats at next year’s vote. Neighbouring Fortune Green ward, also split between Labour and the Liberal Democrats, will also be a clear battleground and is currently the home seat of the leader of the council Councillor Richard Olszewski.

He said: “This is a highly-marginal ward, where winning was always going to be difficult” adding that candidate Francesca Reynolds had “led a positive campaign, focussed on important local issues, like investing in schools, building new affordable homes and helping people cope with the cost of living. Labour fought a strong, energetic campaign, with more than a thousand doorstep conversations with local residents. We thank those who voted for Francesca and will re-double our efforts to win residents’ support for a full Labour team at next year’s local elections.”

Ms Reynolds, who lives on the Finchley Road, had been joined on the campaign trail by Lord Mike Katz, the Baron of Fortune Green, Two Cities MP Rachel Blake and MP Tulip Siddiq, whose actual ‘backyard’ contains the West Hampstead ward. She has been tipped as a name to remember for the party in the future.

The handshakes were convivial at the Town Hall despite the election contests ahead.

“It’s a real shame not to have won,” Ms Reynolds said. “The last few weeks have enabled me to speak to so many amazing West Hampstead residents. It’s been a privilege to speak to them, hear how we can make our ward better, and for so many of them to trust their vote with me, means a lot. I’ll continue to work hard to make West Hampstead a better place in any way I can.”