The new leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council said he is determined to live up to the hopes of thousands of residents whose votes led to the first Labour victory in the borough for eight years.

Council leader Stephen Cowan said he had an inkling his party would do well in the lead up to the election because of the amount of residents expressing their disappointment with the previous administration on the doorstep.

The council had been previously known as David Cameron’s favourite because of the efficiency drive which led to controversial cuts from day one in 2006, and its championing of key Tory policies, such as free schools.   

Mr Cowan said “Residents in David Cameron’s favourite council voted Labour. It’s deeply humbling, especially when you see that people who previously saw themselves as Conservative, Lib Dems, Green and others voted for us as the vehicle for the type of change they need. I’m determined to make them proud.”

He said the previous administration had alienated many people because of their ‘dishonesty’ over the closure of Charing Cross Hospital’s A&E, the closure of Sulivan Primary despite it being the 233rd best school in the country, and the selling off of people’s homes.

Mr Cowan said he was encouraged after seeing many people interested in the Hammersmith and Fulham Labour Party’s manifesto and was not shocked when it took the council on Thursday night.  

He added: “We knew from about a week before that we were close to taking a lot of seats. People on the doorstep were saying: ‘we have to get them out’.” 

Labour took 11 seats from the Conservatives and now control 26 out of a total of 46. The Conservatives hold the remaining 20 seats. 

In the coming weeks getwestlondon will be holding a full interview with Mr Cowan and asking him his plans for the next four years.

Click here to read the Labour manifesto in the meantime.