Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch announced on Friday, September 18, 2026, that the party has instructed lawyers to challenge central government funding decisions regarding Wandsworth Council. The Conservative Party claims the government has reduced funding for the London council by 40 percent, leading to a proposed 94 percent increase in local council tax.
Wandsworth was a Conservative-run council from 1978 until 2022, when it transitioned to Labour control. Following local elections earlier in 2026, the council currently has no overall control, though the Conservatives are the largest party with 29 seats compared to Labour's 28. Wandsworth is among a group of councils granted two-year "funding realignment powers," which permit tax increases above the standard 5 percent threshold.
During an appearance on BBC Two’s Newsnight, Badenoch alleged that the government is reallocating public funds from areas that do not vote Labour to those that do. She stated that the Conservative Party is investigating legal avenues to challenge this decision, describing the redistribution of funds as the core principle of their challenge. The Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government has been contacted for comment regarding these claims.
The next steps involve the Conservative Party's legal team reviewing the government's funding decisions to determine if there are grounds for a formal lawsuit. No court dates or filing deadlines have yet been announced.