# 2021 Portsmouth City Council election

Elections to Portsmouth City Council took place on Thursday 6 May 2021, alongside other local elections across the country.
The seats contested in this election were last contested in 2016. The election was originally due to take place on 7 May 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One seat from each ward was up for election.

## Background

Elections to Portsmouth council since 2012 have proven to have volatile and changing results, with eleven of the city’s fourteen wards voting for different parties each year. Following the 2018 election in Portsmouth, Gerald Vernon-Jackson became leader of the council and has led the council in a minority administration.

## Changes between 2019 and 2021

Immediately after the previous elections, in May 2019, the composition of the council was:
* Liberal Democrats: 18
* Labour Party: 6
* Conservative Party: 16
* Independent: 2
In July 2019, a Liberal Democrat councillor, Jeanette Smith, who was elected in 2018 quit the party. She had been a member of the Lib Dems for two years, having previously been a member of the Labour Party.
In September 2019, Jeanette Smith and one of the other independent councillors, Claire Udy, who had run for election as a member of the Labour Party but had quit shortly before the election, after nominations were closed, citing a lack of support from the local party while under investigation by the National Executive Committee, formed a new grouping called the Progressive Portsmouth People group.
In April 2020, Conservative councillor Lee Mason was suspended from the party, after baking a hot cross bun that appeared to have a swastika "emblazoned" on it over Easter. He was reinstated in August 2020.
In June 2020, Conservative councillor Linda Symes was suspended from the party, after appearing to question why there were demonstrations over the murder of George Floyd during the Black Lives Matter protests and yet not over the murder of Lee Rigby or the killing of seven-year-old Emily Jones. Although she insisted she was 'not being racist' and that 'every life matters’. In another post on Facebook, Symes shared a comment about the mayor of London which said: "Because of his ethnicity Khan (Sadiq) will remain Mayor."
As of October 2020, the composition of the council was as follows:
* Liberal Democrats: 17
* Labour Party: 6
* Conservative Party: 15
* Portsmouth Progressive People Group: 2
* Independent: 2

## Results summary

2021 Portsmouth City Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 5 | 1 | 35.7 | 11 | 16 | 38.1 | 17,230 | 36.0 | +11.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 6 | 2 | 42.9 | 9 | 15 | 35.7 | 12,713 | 26.6 | -2.6 |
| | Labour | 2 | | 14.3 | 5 | 7 | 16.7 | 13,392 | 28.0 | +2.9 |
| | Independent | 1 | 1 | 7.1 | 3 | 4 | 9.5 | 1,787 | 3.7 | N/A |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,371 | 5.0 | -0.8 |
| | TUSC | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 191 | 0.4 | New |
| | NHA | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 100 | 0.2 | -0.5 |
| | Workers Party | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 49 | 0.1 | New |

## Results by ward

Comparisons for the purpose of determining a gain, hold or loss of a seat, and for all percentage changes, is to the last time these specific seats were up for election in 2016. An asterisk indicates the incumbent councillor.

### Baffins

Baffins :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Darren Sanders* | 1,737 | 47.1 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative | Tom Collins | 1,066 | 28.9 | +10.2 |
| | Labour | Jason Christopher | 640 | 17.4 | +1.7 |
| | Green | Bob Simmonds | 246 | 6.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 671 | 18.19 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,689 | 33.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Central Southsea

Central Southsea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charlotte Gerada | 1,740 | 42.3 | +18.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Pitt* | 1,611 | 39.2 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | Charles Douglas | 570 | 13.9 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Tamara Groen | 191 | 4.6 | −8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 129 | 3.14 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,112 | 34.4 | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kirsty Mellor | 1,183 | 45.6 | +11.7 |
| | Conservative | Renu Raj | 713 | 27.5 | +17.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Yahiya Chowdhury | 600 | 23.1 | −8.6 |
| | TUSC | Chris Pickett | 97 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 470 | 18.13 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,593 | 19.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Copnor

Copnor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lewis Gosling | 1,636 | 53.2 | +17.3 |
| | Labour | Mary Vallely | 805 | 26.2 | −2.8 |
| | Green | Tim Sheerman-Chase | 326 | 10.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bobby Tera | 307 | 10.0 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 831 | 27.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,074 | 31.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Cosham

Cosham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Matt Atkins* | 1,668 | 48.3 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Asghar Shah | 1,252 | 35.2 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Fuller | 333 | 9.6 | +0.9 |
| | Independent | Mike Jerome | 103 | 3.0 | N/A |
| | NHA | Veronika Wagner | 100 | 2.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 416 | 13.04 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,456 | 33.78 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Drayton and Farlington

Drayton and Farlington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ryan Brent | 2,707 | 68.4 | +13.4 |
| | Labour | David Simpson | 776 | 19.6 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Duncan Garland | 475 | 12.0 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,931 | 48.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,958 | 38.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Eastney and Craneswater

Eastney and Craneswater :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Smith | 1,654 | 37.8 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Winnington* | 1,292 | 29.5 | −13.8 |
| | Labour | Craig Withey | 1,139 | 26.0 | +12.4 |
| | Green | Menno Groen | 289 | 6.6 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 362 | 8.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,374 | 45.0 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +8.5 | |

### Fratton

Fratton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stuart Brown | 1,029 | 35.2 | +3.2 |
| | Labour | Nikki Coles | 977 | 33.5 | +6.3 |
| | Conservative | Paul Sweeney | 712 | 24.4 | +11.2 |
| | Green | Ken Hawkins | 154 | 5.3 | −0.6 |
| | Workers Party | Joey Smith | 49 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 52 | 1.78 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,921 | 27.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Hilsea

Hilsea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Daniel Wemyss | 1,763 | 58.2 | +3.6 |
| | Labour | Julian Lewis | 783 | 25.9 | −6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Williams | 265 | 8.8 | −4.4 |
| | Green | Emma Murphy | 217 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 980 | 32.36 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,028 | 29.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Milton

Milton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kimberly Barrett | 1,471 | 37.7 | −4.9 |
| | Labour | Paula Savage | 1,251 | 32.0 | +14.4 |
| | Conservative | Jack Smith | 901 | 23.1 | +7.0 |
| | Green | Sarah Gilbert | 283 | 7.3 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 220 | 5.63 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,906 | 37.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Nelson

Nelson :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Leo Madden* | 1,097 | 43.6 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | David Cairns | 781 | 31.0 | +15.2 |
| | Labour | Georgia Hancock | 495 | 19.7 | −2.6 |
| | Green | Duncan Robinson | 145 | 5.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 316 | 12.55 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,518 | 24.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Paulsgrove

Paulsgrove :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | George Madgwick | 1,684 | 49.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Tony Hewitt | 1,269 | 37.0 | +13.1 |
| | Labour | Mark Farwell | 397 | 11.6 | −29.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | George Brown | 81 | 2.4 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 415 | 12.10 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,431 | 33.7 | |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### St Jude

St Jude :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugh Mason* | 1,287 | 35.6 | −4.1 |
| | Labour | Raj Ghosh | 1,194 | 33.1 | +16.3 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Gorys | 847 | 23.5 | −3.6 |
| | Green | Ian McCulloch | 283 | 7.8 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 2.58 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,611 | 38.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### St Thomas

St Thomas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Holder | 1,428 | 42.4 | +8.2 |
| | Conservative | Alicia Denney | 943 | 28.0 | +4.7 |
| | Labour | Rebecca Ozaniec | 760 | 22.6 | −0.9 |
| | Green | Elliott Lee | 237 | 7.0 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 485 | 14.40 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,368 | 30.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |