The election of the London Borough Councils—the second in the
history of the Councils—came to an end on Wednes- day. The result has been a remarkable victory for the Progressives, the figures showing 594 Conservative members and 616 Progressives. If we add the 40 Labour members to the Progressives, we have a Progressive majority of 62. Them are, in addition, 40 Independent members, and 72 members elected by Hampstead and Stoke Newington, the two non- political boroughs. The Progressives have secured the voting balance at Islington, Finsbury, Hackney, Lewisham, Wool- wich, St. Pancras, and Deptford; the Conservatives at Shore- ditch and Bermondsey. The distinction of Progressive and Conservative has come to correspond very much with Liberal and Conservative, and we should be inclined to ascribe the result of the Council elections to precisely the same forces which reduced Mr. Lyttelton's majority at Leamington. The more thoughtful members of the working classes in the towns are not at the moment disposed to look with favour on any- thing which recalls the present Government.
Previous page
