Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure to set a departure date after Labour suffered catastrophic losses in local elections across England, Wales, and Scotland. With most results counted, Labour lost over 1,400 council seats in England, lost control of the Welsh Parliament for the first time in a century, and saw its representation in the Scottish Parliament decline.
The elections, the largest since Starmer took power in mid-2024, shattered the traditional two-party system, with Reform UK winning the most votes, followed closely by the Greens, Conservatives, Labour, and Liberal Democrats. Labour lost ground to Reform, the Greens, and pro-independence parties in Wales and Scotland.
Labour MP Debbie Abrahams called on Starmer to “put the country first” and suggested he should step down within months. However, senior ministers including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner have publicly backed him. Potential successor Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, is not in Parliament, complicating any leadership challenge.
Starmer vowed to continue, writing in The Guardian that the results were “very tough” but rejecting calls to shift left or right. He insisted Labour must “bring together a broad political movement.” Critics, however, point to policy missteps and U-turns, and worry about his inability to counter Reform UK leader Nigel Farage or Green leader Zack Polanski.
The Conservatives also fared poorly under new leader Kemi Badenoch, losing over 500 councillors and ground in Scotland and Wales. Some Labour figures caution against changing leaders mid-government, recalling the Conservatives’ frequent leadership changes from 2016 to 2022, which led to heavy electoral punishment.
