Millions of voters are heading to the polls on Thursday for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, as well as for local councils across England. Sir Keir Starmer is facing the prospect of losing hundreds of council seats, as well as Labour’s dominance in the Welsh parliament, the Senedd, in the biggest test of public opinion since the general election in 2024.
Labour's Historic Defeat in Wales
The latest YouGov poll shows that Labour’s 27-year rule in Wales is set to end, with the party predicted to fall to third place. Plaid Cymru is expected to take the lead, followed by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in second place. This would mark a historic shift in Welsh politics, as Labour has been the largest party in Wales for over a century.
Potential Leadership Challenge
MPs are reportedly considering a bloodless coup to oust Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, modelled on the way Sir Tony Blair was encouraged to make way for Gordon Brown. When asked if the prime minister would fight any challenge to his leadership, his close ally and Cabinet minister Pat McFadden told Sky News: “Yes, and I hope there isn’t, because I don’t think it would be the answer to our problems.”
Polls Open Across Britain
Polls have now opened for millions of voters across England, Scotland, and Wales. Labour is forecast a historic defeat in the Welsh Senedd elections, having held the Parliament for 27 years. Opinion polls in Wales have consistently forecast Plaid Cymru and Reform to become the biggest parties in the Senedd.
