Shantanu Rajawat Retains Leadership of Hounslow Labour Group
Looks set to head council into the next term
Cllr Rajawat (left) on election night was chosen as leader unopposed. Picture: Hounslow Council
May 12, 2026
At a meeting of the Hounslow Labour party on Monday evening (11 May) Cllr Shantanu Rajawat was unanimously confirmed as the group’s leader making it likely he will remain as the head of Hounslow Council.
After a disappointing election result in which his party retained control of the council, rumours were swirling of a possible challenge to his leadership as he had lost several key allies in the election and his own showing in his Heston West seat had been disappointing. In the event, he was reappointed unopposed. Cllr Katherine Dunne, widely tipped as a potential challenger, was taken ill at the meeting and had to leave.
Veteran councillor Tony Louki was selected to replace John Stroud-Turp, who lost his seat in Isleworth, as Labour chief whip. He faces a tough task as just one councillor deciding to defect to another party would leave the borough with no overall control. One Labour insider suggested after the meeting that this could happen sooner rather than later if an individual councillor felt aggrieved at not getting a cabinet position or other office within the borough.
The Labour group is opening discussions with the three Green councillors and the single Liberal Democrat on common ground between the parties. This willingness to talk has been widely interpreted as Cllr Rajawat blunting the impact of any potential rebellion as he would have the possibility of a coalition to fall back on.
The Conservatives currently have 17 councillors and Reform have 8 with former Labour cabinet member Theo Dennison sitting as an independent.
Marcela Benedetti, who was elected for Brentford East, was made Labour group chair.
Conservative Cllr Jack Emsley posted on social media, "Cllr Rajawat oversaw one of the worst election results for the Hounslow Labour Party in decades, coming within just a few dozen votes of losing their majority outright. Our borough voted for change, but Hounslow Labour Councillors are ploughing on with more of the same. That means continued financial mismanagement, turning a blind eye to scandals, and worsening transparency. Given the precariousness of his position, I'd give this administration about 18 months before it collapses."
TThe next scheduled full meeting of Hounslow Council is the Annual Meeting of the Council on 26 May at 7:30 pm. Assuming the councillors who supported him on Monday night all vote for him again, Cllr Rajawat will officially return as leader of the council.
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