Local elections profile: Islington

Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 7 May, we have produced short guides to London's 32 boroughs.

Where is it? The Borough of Islington is located in north London and is part of Inner London. It is bordered by Haringey to the north, Hackney to the east, the City of London to the south, and Camden to the west.

What's it like? Islington is a densely populated inner-city borough characterised by a mixture of residential Georgian squares and commercial urban centres.

It serves as a major transport and cultural hub for north London, containing significant retail, theatre, and professional sporting infrastructure.

Neighbourhoods: Angel, Islington, Highbury, Holloway, Finsbury Park, Archway, Tufnell Park, Barnsbury, Canonbury, and Clerkenwell.

Places of interest: The borough is home to Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium and several major performing arts venues including Sadler's Wells Theatre, the Almeida Theatre, and the Union Chapel.

Historical and educational sites include the London Canal Museum, the Garden Museum, and the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art.

Pub quiz fact: Islington was the home of the first Gainsborough Studios, where Alfred Hitchcock directed several of his early films.

Population: In 2024 the population was estimated to be 223,024.

Demographics (ONS): According to the 2021 census, 62.2% of the population identify as white, 13.3% as black, 9.9% as Asian, 7.5% as mixed race, and 7.1% as another ethnic group.

Average property price: According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average house price in Islington in December 2025 was £700,000.

Average monthly rent: The ONS reported that the average monthly rent in January 2026 in Islington was £2,713.

Council tax: Band D council tax in the borough for 2026/27 is £2,022.29.

Transport: Islington is served by 14 Underground and Overground stations, including major interchanges at Highbury & Islington and Farringdon (providing access to the Elizabeth Line and Thameslink).

The borough contains approximately 350 bus stops.

Local history: Originally a Saxon settlement called Giseldone, Islington grew as a vital agricultural link and water source for the City of London via the New River, completed in 1613. By the 18th Century, it was a premier leisure destination famed for its "spas" and the Sadler's Wells theatre.

The borough was a major hub for the livestock trade. The Royal Agricultural Hall, opened in 1862, hosted national cattle shows and survives today as the Business Design Centre. Islington is also synonymous with the arts and radical politics, having housed figures from George Orwell to modern political leaders.

While the area suffered significant damage during the Blitz, the late 20th Century saw a dramatic restoration of its Georgian terraces. It is also the home of Arsenal Football Club, which moved to Highbury in 1913 before opening the Emirates Stadium in 2006.

What is the borough's electoral history? Labour has controlled Islington since 2010, but it has had no overall control for two periods. It was under Conservative control from 1968-71 and the Lib Dems ran the council for four years from 2002 to 2006.

Labour has been increasing its majority on the council since 2010.

What happened in 2022? The turnout was 36% and there was a 5.4% swing from Labour to the Greens, who took 21.8% of the vote to Labour's 54.3% voter share.

Labour: 48 seats (+1)

Greens: 3 seats (+2)

Boundary changes increased the number of seats from 48 to 51.

Since the election four Labour councillors now sit as independents.

Professor Tony Travers, of the London School of Economics, said Islington is home of Jeremy Corbyn and Your Party, but also home of a very strong Labour majority.

The question is, can Your Party, the Greens, Independents, club together in some way to get Labour out in Islington? The answer is almost certainly not, so I think Islington looks like a Labour hold.

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