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6 months ago
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Sir Keir Starmer boasted that Labour was now in charge of 'the home of the British Army' today as his party won control of a major military area for the first time ever.
The opposition won control of Rushmoor Borough Council overnight, the local authority covering the garrison town of Aldershot and neighbouring Farnborough, ending 24 years of Tory control.
The result will send shock waves through the Conservatives in an area which was once a true-Blue Tory heartland where it was unthinkable Labour would win any sort of election.
The council did not pivot to Labour even under Tony Blair and for a large chunk of the early noughties it was only the third largest party on the council.
It will raise Labour hopes of taking the Aldershot Westminster seat of Armed Forces Minister Leo Docherty. The seat has been Conservative since it was created in 1918.
Aldershot has been a major military base since 1854, but the result comes against a national backdrop of massive cuts to the British Army which has seen it shrink to its smallest size in 200 years.
The vast downsizing of forces since the end of the Cold War has seen large chunks of military land in the borough turned into starter homes, altering the demographics of the area still further.
Additionally there are a host of local issues in play, including the decline in the town's once bustling high street, and that of Farnborough, which also has its own major historic military links. The Tories have remained control of only the most affluent parts of the council area.
The opposition won control of Rushmoor Borough Council overnight, the local authority covering the garrison town of Aldershot and neighbouring Farnborough, ending 24 years of Tory control.
Aldershot has been a major military base since 1854, but the result comes against a national backdrop of massive cuts to the British Army which has seen it shrink to its smallest size in 200 years.
The vast downsizing of forces since the end of the Cold War has seen large chunks of military land in the borough turned into starter homes (Wellesley Barracks redevelopment pictured), altering the demographics of the area still further.
Labour won nine out of 13 seats up for grabs on Rushmoor Borough Council, with the Tories winning three and the Liberal Democrats one. Many of the Labour wins were in areas of Aldershot that have seen military barracks replaced by civilian homes.
It gave Sir Keir's party a majority on the council as the Tories ceded control after 24 years in charge, in a turnout of 34 per cent.
It will fuel the party's hopes that it has shed the anti-military image it gained under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.
Sir Keir and shadow defence secretary John Healey have been at pains to distance Labour from that period, with strong backing for Nato.
A party spokeswoman said: 'This is a truly historic result.
'Rushmoor - the home of the British Army - has never had a majority Labour council before, and has been run by the Tories for the last 24 years.
'This result demonstrates just how much the Labour Party has changed and people in Rushmoor know that only Labour can deliver the change they want to see.
Rushmoor Borough Council includes the town of Aldershot, known as the home of the British Army
A Labour spokeswoman said: 'This is a truly historic result. Rushmoor - the home of the British Army - has never had a majority Labour council before, and has been run by the Tories for the last 24 years.'
Sir Keir Starmer said he was "concerned wherever we lose votes" after reports his party's stance on Gaza had cost some seats at the local elections, but insisted Labour was picking up seats where it needed to.
The Labour leader told the BBC: "I'm concerned wherever we lose votes and we intend to win any votes we have lost back.
"But there's no denying that across the country, whether it's Hartlepool int he North or Rushmoor in the South or Redditch, a bellwether seat, we are winning votes across the country.'
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