The results of the Hanger Hill, Hobbayne and Ealing Broadway by-elections were announced today. 

All three wards were held, with the Conservative Party maintaining a stronghold in Hanger Hill and Ealing Broadway and Labour in Hobbayne.

Conservative candidate Julian Gallant won the majority of votes in Ealing Broadway, securing 2,076 votes. 

He said: “I had lots of help from my friends and councillors who are here, and of course a lot of Conservatives came in and we really went down and spoke to as many people as possible and there is no other way of doing this.

“We made it clear that we were against high-rise buildings in the borough and we want to stop the spread of high-rise buildings in the borough.”

Gallant beat Labour Party representative Claire Marie Tighe, who came in at second place after receiving 1,601 votes.

Fabio Conti was elected Hanger Hill councillor after winning 1,762 votes.

Conti, a doctor and lifelong Ealing resident said: “I’m so happy. I feel pretty honoured that the residents of Hanger Hill have elected me, and I’m looking forward to getting to work.”

Conti explained his main priority will be targeting high-rise developments in Ealing, future traffic schemes as well as fly-tipping hotspots and areas of anti-social behaviour. 

Conti beat Labour’s Grace Quansah, who polled at 1,397, by a margin of 365 votes. 

Quansah said: “I’m feeling pretty proud of myself! I mean we’ve been in Covid, I’m a new candidate, we had two months to campaign. 

“I believe I attracted a lot newer voters from across the ward and I’m proud of myself and thank you to everyone who voted for me.” 

“I’m just going to keep on working harder, keep focussing on empowering our residents and give them a voice on what matters to them.

“Eventually I will turn Hanger Hill red.”

Meanwhile, Labour’s Louise Brett took the Hobbayne Ward with a 2,345 majority, beating Conservative candidate David Castle, who won 1,477 votes. 

Labour Leader of Ealing Council Julian Bell said he was pleased with today’s results.

Bell said: “We increased our turnout and also our Labour support in Hanger Hill, and Ealing Broadway we didn’t win but it was a swing to Labour so that’s good.

“We held on to a big majority in Hobbayne so congratulations to Louise Brett.”

He added the results are encouraging from a GLA and Mayoral election standpoint from Ealing as well. 

Bell said: “People do tend to vote all three votes or four votes for one party so we certainly worked very hard, and had a very good response on the doorstep yesterday.”

He said he has felt an optimism in the community that Sadiq Khan will continue as London Mayor.

“Clearly turnout for the Mayoral elections is going to be lower than it was in 2016 and that is a concern for us but we’ll have to wait and see. 

“Clearly, I think, people were voting for smaller parties thinking that there’s no consequence to that and not realising that actually it was always a two-horse race between Sadiq and the Conservative candidate. 

“But let’s wait and see, there’s a long way to go!”