Elham Asaad Buaras
An estimated 134 Muslim candidates stood in England’s local elections on May 1, with 39 winning seats across 24 local authorities, The Muslim News can exclusively reveal. The polls, covering 1,641 council seats, included contests for county councils, unitary authorities, and one metropolitan borough.
Muslim representation spanned the political spectrum, though outcomes varied notably between parties.
Labour, including its Co-operative wing, fielded the most Muslim candidates—49 in total—of whom 12 were elected. They secured 29,639 votes, with an average vote share of 19.5 per cent.
The Conservatives ran 37 Muslim candidates, eight of whom were successful, gaining 24,663 votes at an average of 20.1 per cent.
The Liberal Democrats selected 16 Muslim candidates, half of whom won seats, collecting a combined 15,163 votes and averaging 20 per cent of the vote.
The Greens put forward seven Muslim candidates, with one elected, while Reform UK saw notable success: two of its three Muslim candidates were elected, achieving a total of 3,558 votes and an average vote share of 16.5 per cent.
Independent Muslim candidates fared particularly well. Of 12 standing, seven were elected, earning 12,215 votes with a 20 per cent average share. Smaller parties—including the Independent Oxford Alliance, Liberal Party, Socialist Labour, TUSC, the Workers Party of Britain, and Wycombe Independents—fielded 10 Muslim candidates. Only one succeeded, with these groups collectively polling 3,504 votes at a 17.9 per cent average.
County councils attracted the highest number of Muslim candidates—79 in all—with 18 winning seats. Lancashire led the way with six Muslim councillors elected from 23 candidates.
Cambridgeshire fielded 10 candidates, returning one. Devon, Nottinghamshire, and Warwickshire had smaller fields of one or two Muslim contenders, all of whom were successful.
Leicestershire saw two wins from seven candidates, Gloucestershire one from five, and Oxfordshire returned two of its eight Muslim contenders. Lincolnshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire each recorded one victory, while Derbyshire, Hertfordshire, and Kent saw no Muslim candidates elected.
Doncaster, the sole metropolitan borough to hold elections, saw two Muslim candidates stand, with one elected.
Among unitary authorities, 53 Muslim candidates stood, of whom 20 were successful. Buckinghamshire emerged as the most prominent success story, returning 14 Muslim councillors from 28 candidates. In West Northamptonshire, five of 13 Muslim contenders won seats, while Wiltshire saw one of its three Muslim candidates elected. There were no Muslim candidates in Cornwall or Northumberland, and no Muslim candidate was elected in Durham, North Northamptonshire, or Shropshire.
Despite the broader gains, Muslim women remain significantly under-represented. Of the 134 Muslim candidates, just 24 were women—and only five won, giving a success rate of 21 per cent, well below the 29 per cent average across all Muslim candidates. Four were elected under the Labour banner, including one Labour Co-op, and one ran as an Independent. None of the female Muslim candidates representing the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens, Reform UK, or smaller parties were successful. This suggests that while Labour continues to offer an important platform for Muslim women, systemic challenges persist—ranging from unfavourable ward placements to limited institutional support.
This year’s local elections followed the 2024 general election and included contests for 14 county councils, eight unitary authorities, and six directly elected mayors—including the inaugural mayoral races for Greater Lincolnshire and Hull & East Yorkshire.
Reform UK emerged as a major beneficiary of the polls, securing the most seats overall and gaining control of several authorities. Labour and the C
onservatives suffered significant losses, with Labour, under Sir Keir Starmer, slumping to fourth place nationally—a historic low in local government contests. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats continued their resurgence, seizing three councils and surpassing the Conservatives for a second year running.
Elections were postponed in several areas—East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, Thurrock, and West Sussex—owing to structural changes in local government. Nine councils deferred voting to accommodate newly created or reformed authorities.
Labour Party (including Labour Co-operative) |
Muslim candidates: 49 — 12 elected |
Total votes: 29,639 (19.5%)
Conservative Party |
Muslim candidates: 37 — 8 elected |
Total votes: 24,663 (20.1%)
Liberal Democrats |
Muslim candidates: 16 — 8 elected |
Total votes: 15,163 (20%)
Green Party |
Muslim candidates: 7 — 1 elected |
Total votes: 3,093 (18%)
Reform UK |
Muslim candidates: 3 — 2 elected |
Total votes: 3,558 (16.5%)
Independent Candidates |
Muslim candidates: 12 — 7 elected |
Total votes: 12,215 (20%)
Other (Independent Oxford Alliance, Liberal Party, Socialist Labour, TUSC, Workers Party of Britain, Wycombe Independents) |
Muslim candidates: 10 — 1 elected |
Total votes: 3,504 (17.9%)
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