Tory Leader of Wandsworth Council in Shock Resignation
Aled Richard-Jones steps down after just 44 days in the job
His tenure was the same number of days as Brian Clough at Leeds United
. Picture: Aled-Richard Jones/Twitter
July 10, 2026
Aled Richards-Jones, the Conservative leader who steered his party back into power at Wandsworth Council after four years in opposition, has announced his resignation just 44 days into the role. He will remain a councillor for Northcote ward but is stepping down as council leader, citing a sharp increase in professional responsibilities in his career as an IP and tech lawyer. His workload had increased since being appointed partner at his firm last year.
His departure comes less than two months after the Conservatives regained control of Wandsworth in the May local elections — a result that surprised many observers and ended Labour’s brief tenure running the borough. Cllr Richards-Jones, who had led the Conservative group since 2022, was widely seen as a key figure in rebuilding the party’s local organisation and positioning it for a return to power.
In a statement confirming his resignation, he said it had been “an honour to serve as Group Leader these past few years,” adding that returning Wandsworth to Conservative control “was a true team effort and something I will always be proud of.” He said he was stepping down “full of optimism for Wandsworth and confidence in our new team.”
A new leader will be appointed at a full council meeting on 22 July, with senior councillors now preparing for a rapid transition at the top of the administration.
The announcement prompted criticism from Labour MP Fleur Anderson. She said residents “deserve a council leader who works for them full time, not as a hobby,” arguing that Richards-Jones and his team “were clearly unprepared for the demands of running a council.”
Another local councillor observed that his resignation was announced on exactly the same number of days as Brian Clough’s from Leeds United in 1974.
Cllr Richards-Jones’s resignation marks an unusually swift leadership change for a newly elected administration. While councillors often balance public service with professional careers, leading a London borough — particularly one with Wandsworth’s size, budget and political profile — is widely regarded as a demanding, full-time responsibility.
His successor will inherit a council still in the early stages of setting its priorities for the new term, including budget planning, service reviews and the implementation of manifesto commitments. Conservative councillors have emphasised continuity, stressing that the administration’s direction will remain unchanged.
Cllr Richards-Jones has said he will continue to support the new leader and remain active in his ward, where he was re-elected in May.
A spokesperson for Wandsworth Conservatives said, “Aled has served as group leader for the past two years, successfully leading the Conservative Group from opposition back into administration at the first time of asking at the 2026 local elections. This election victory saw the Conservatives gain seats across Putney, Tooting and Battersea.
“His administration has laid solid foundations for repairing the damage inherited from the previous Labour administration.
“He returns to the backbenches to continue his eight years of service as a councillor, six of which have been in senior leadership positions both in administration and opposition.”
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We’ve always done that and won’t be changing, in fact we’d like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we’d be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you’d like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |