Labour suffered significant losses in England's local elections as Reform UK made substantial gains, including taking control of its first council. The scale of the electoral challenge facing Prime Minister Keir Starmer became apparent as the party haemorrhaged councillors in its traditional northern heartlands.
Reform UK seized overall control of Newcastle-under-Lyme from Labour and won all 12 seats up for grabs in Hartlepool, where Labour is likely to become the opposition. Nigel Farage described the early results as a “historic change in British politics”, with his party “scoring stunning percentages in traditional old Labour areas”.
Labour councillors and supporters were visibly despondent in Hartlepool, where council leader Pamela Hargreaves lost her seat. Her husband, Labour MP Jonathan Brash, called for Starmer to go, saying: “We need change at the top of the Labour party… the very best thing the prime minister could do now is address the nation tomorrow and set out a timetable for his departure.”
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said a leadership change must be “on the agenda” if the results prove as bad as feared, but insisted it should be an orderly transition. Political scientist Sir John Curtice noted that while Reform was winning the most votes, it had “probably not” reached 30%, indicating a fragmented political landscape.
The Liberal Democrats reported “stonking results”, taking control of councils in Stockport and Portsmouth. The Green Party expressed optimism about taking control of Hackney Council in east London but acknowledged the electoral system limited their seat gains relative to vote share. Turnout stood at 31.5%, slightly higher than the 2024 local elections.
