Keir Starmer has vowed to continue as prime minister despite early local election results showing Labour losing control of councils in its heartlands, with many seats going to Nigel Farage's Reform UK. The prime minister admitted the results were "very tough" but insisted he would not walk away from his responsibilities.
Labour lost control of councils in Hartlepool, Tameside, Redditch, and Tamworth, and lost around half the council seats it was contesting. The losses prompted calls for Starmer's resignation from Labour MPs, including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash. Brash urged the prime minister to set out a timetable for his departure to allow an orderly transition.
Starmer struck a defiant note, saying: "I accept that [the results] reflect voters don't feel that their lives have changed enough or quickly enough ... I'm not going to walk away from that responsibility and plunge the country into chaos." Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy backed him, saying "You don't change the pilot during a flight," while Defence Secretary John Healey expressed confidence Starmer could "turn it round."
Reform UK celebrated its best-ever local election results, winning 327 seats and taking control of its first London council in Havering. Farage described it as "a big, big day ... for a complete reshaping of British politics." The Conservatives also suffered heavy losses, though they regained Westminster council from Labour and held off Reform in Bexley.
In London, Labour performed better, retaining control of Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham, but losing Wandsworth and Westminster. West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker called for a "reset and refocus" for the government. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, a potential leadership rival, cancelled a scheduled appearance and declined to comment on the results.
