Havering Council has rejected the idea of holding a referendum on leaving London, opting instead to concentrate on existing issues within the borough.
The decision was made during a Council meeting on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, following a debate on a motion concerning a referendum to leave the capital. The motion, which was proposed by the Havering Aligned Residents' Associations Group, stated: This Council agrees not to spend valuable council resources on a referendum to leave London.
An amendment to this motion was agreed, which stipulated that the Council would not allocate valuable resources to such a referendum during the current term. This amendment was passed by 42 votes to 11, with no abstentions. The amendment was then agreed as the substantive motion, also by 42 votes to 11 with 0 abstentions.
This outcome means the Council will focus its efforts on addressing current challenges within Havering, rather than pursuing a referendum on leaving London.
Further details of the meeting can be found in the Public reports pack and the Agenda frontsheet.
