Labour has suffered heavy losses across England, Scotland and Wales, losing its majority in the Welsh Parliament for the first time since its creation in 1999. The party fell to third place in the Senedd, with Plaid Cymru becoming the largest party and Reform UK surging into second.
Reform UK has supplanted the Conservatives as the biggest right-wing force in both Wales and Scotland, while the Greens made significant gains in England. In England, Labour lost ground to opponents on both the left and right, with a record drop in seat share in 44 councils.
In Scotland, Labour failed to translate discontent with the SNP into substantial gains, as the SNP capitalised on a divided vote and retained power. The Liberal Democrats made moderate gains across the country, performing strongest in the south of England.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged the results as “very tough” and took responsibility, saying: “We have lost brilliant Labour representatives across the country … and that hurts, and it should hurt.”
The elections have produced one of the most fragmented political landscapes in British history, with Professor John Curtice noting that “electoral politics in Britain has become highly fragmented” and that the country now experiences five-party politics.
