The 7 May council elections beckon for millions of UK voters, and Haringey residents will be among those heading to the polls.
But who’s on the ballot, what’s at stake and who’s predicted to win?
Here is our guide on all you need to know as the elections loom…
Where is Haringey?
The North London borough of Haringey is sandwiched between Enfield to the north and Islington, Camden, and Hackney to the south.
A total of 57 councillors represent Haringey’s 21 wards, which include Crouch End, South Tottenham and Highgate.
Haringey is not to be confused with Harringay, which is a district within the borough.
What happened in the last election?
Labour has run Haringey Council since 1971, retaining its stronghold in the last election with a 60% vote majority, while the Lib Dems suffered a net loss of eight seats.
The council is currently led by Labour Councillor Peray Ahmet.
2022 election results:
- Labour: 50 (+8)
- Lib Dems: 7 (-8)
However, since the 2022 election, Haringey’s council has undergone several shifts. Four councillors have defected from Labour, and the party expelled one councillor.
A 2025 by-election also secured a seat in St Ann’s for the Greens following another Labour resignation.
In 2025, Independent Socialist councillors Mary Mason and Lotte Collett and Green Party councillors Mark Blake and Ruairidh Paton came together under a new grouping, called the Green Socialist Alliance.
Mary Mason, Lotte Collett and Mark Blake previously left Labour in 2023 over Labour’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Ahead of the local elections, Haringey Greens and the Socialist Alliance announced a continued co-operation deal, which they says aims to: “Maximise the impact of the progressive vote for an alternative to the Labour Party.”
Council representatives April 2026:
- Labour: 44
- Lib Dems: 7
- Green Socialist Alliance: 4
- Independent: 2
What are the local issues?
Like much of London, Haringey is in the midst of a serious housing crisis.
Over 13,000 residents are currently on the social housing waiting list, and 3,000 people are living in temporary accommodation.
In an effort to address the crisis, the council has aimed to build 3,000 new council homes at council rent by 2031.
Home to both some of the wealthiest and poorest neighbourhoods in London, inequality more generally is a key issue for the borough.
The current council has repeatedly called for reform to government welfare policies, with 39% of children in Haringey living in poverty.
Areas across Haringey are also experiencing rapid gentrification – Trust for London analysis found parts of the borough had some of the most extreme changes in average incomes between 2012 and 2020 in London.
As well as supporting residents through the cost of living crisis, the protection of public and green spaces, and improvements to neighbourhood safety are also key issues for residents.
Regardless of who wins, footing the council’s bill will be another concern.
Haringey Council has suffered cuts totalling 55% over the past 15 years, leaving the borough to operate with approximately £143million less than it did in 2011.
Securing long-term financing will be a key challenge for the incoming councillors.
Who are the ones to watch?
Polls contest whether Haringey will retain its Labour hold or whether a new era of Green councillors will take over the borough.
According to a YouGov polling model shared with POLITICO, the Green Party are set to come in a very close second place to Labour in Haringey.
However, the political data site, PollCheck predicts a Green majority, capturing 37% of the vote share compared to 32% for Labour.
Labour, Lib Dem, Greens, Conservatives and Reform UK are standing for all 57 available seats.
A full list of candidates can be found on Haringey Council’s website.
Interesting facts about Haringey
Of the more than 180 languages spoken amongst Haringey’s 264,000 residents, Turkish is one of the most popular.
The Turkish restaurants adorning Harringay’s Green Lanes have earned the area the nickname ‘Little Istanbul’.
Haringey is also home to the deputy prime minister, David Lammy, MP for Tottenham.
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