The 2024 Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council election took place on Thursday 2 May 2024, alongside the other local elections in the United Kingdom being held on the same day, to elect one-third of the 51 members of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in Lancashire.
Labour retained control of the council. Both Labour and the Conservatives lost seats to independent candidates, many of whom were allied to the '4 BwD' group of independents which had formed on the council in autumn 2023. After the election there were 12 councillors in the 4BwD group, overtaking the Conservatives who were left with 9 seats. The 4 BwD group therefore became the council's official opposition.
Background The Labour Party have governed Blackburn with Darwen for most of its history. They controlled the council from its creation in 1997 as a unitary authority to 2007, and again from 2011 to the present, with a period of no overall control between. In the previous election, Labour won 14 seats (up 2) with 63.0% of the vote, the Conservatives won 3 (down 1) with 30.3%, and the Liberal Democrats lost the seat they were defending with 5.1%.
The seats up for election in 2024 were last contested in 2021; because of the delay of all local elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the seats are up for election after 3 years rather than the usual 4. In that election, Labour won 11 seats with 55.4%, the Conservatives won 6 with 38.8%, and the Liberal Democrats won 0 with 5.0%.
Previous council composition After 2023 election Before 2024 election After 2024 election Party Seats Party Seats Party Seats 39 31 29 12 11 9 0 9 13 Changes: October 2023: Saj Ali, Mustafa Desai, Samim Desai, Suleman Khonat, Abdul Patel, Salma Patel, and Salim Sidat leave Labour to sit as independents; Mohammed Irfan suspended from Labour; Altaf "Tiger" Patel leaves Conservatives to sit as an independent Results summary
Ward results Audley & Queen's Park
Bastwell & Daisyfield
Billinge & Beardwood
Blackburn Central
Blackburn South & Lower Darwen
Blackburn South East
Darwen East
Darwen South
Darwen West
Ewood
Little Harwood & Whitebirk
Livesey with Pleasington
Mill Hill & Moorgate
Roe Lee
Shear Brow & Corporation Park
Wensley Fold
West Pennine
Changes 2024–2026
27 February 2026: Elaine Whittingham (Ewood) left the Labour Party, citing the toxic and divisive tone of national politics and abuse she had received on social media, and continued to sit as an independent councillor. March 2026: Tasleem Fazal (Billinge & Beardwood) left the Labour Party and joined the 4 BwD independent group.
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