Opinion, Watford Observer, 8th February, 2026 'Watford turned into something resembling a one-party state' | Watford Observer
We’re now just a few months away from what will probably be the last ever Watford Borough and mayoral elections. The next time Watford votes it will probably be for the shadow authorities in advance of a new unitary authority.
It is to the credit of the Lib Dem administration in Watford they didn’t ask the Government to cancel the election. But democracy is not just about elections. It is about holding elected officials to account and scrutinising their actions.
And here in Watford such scrutiny is sadly lacking.
It is surprisingly not widely known Watford has been turned into something resembling a one-party state. Of the 37 seats on the council, the Lib Dems hold 31. At the last Borough election they won all but one ward. Now, given the catastrophic failures of the Labour government, I suspect they’re eyeing up a clean sweep.
This is not good for democracy in Watford and not good for local residents. The administration can do pretty much whatever it wants without any meaningful scrutiny.
The Harry Potter Studios are just up the road and Potter fans might remember the ‘Mirror of Erised’. It is the mirror in which Harry saw himself with his parents as the mirror reflects what people desire not reality. Is there a danger in local politics some political parties benefit from the ‘Erised’ effect? Because they don’t normally have responsibility at the national level, are some voters tempted by these ‘none of the above’ parties where they can imagine they will get what they desire, regardless of the parties’ actual policies?
As we approach these elections, we should be thinking about how we restore a vibrant and accountable local democracy. One element is to start work on an all-party basis in building strong local parish and town councils within the new unitary authority framework. Watford is surrounded on almost all sides by such truly local councils. We need them here too.
Stephen Woodard
Chairman, Watford Conservatives
