Despite counting still being underway, Reform UK has already emerged as the big winner in the English council elections, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has already faced devastating losses, losing control of nine councils across the country.
Reform leader Nigel Farage hailed his party’s performance as marking “an historic shift in British politics” that heralds the end of “old arguments of right and left”, adding that it’s now “about people who value patriotic ideas, believe in this country and want to see things turn around”.
As of 9AM this morning, Reform had won 393 seats across the country, and had secured control of two full councils – Newcastle-under-Lyme and Havering, a London borough.
Meanwhile, Labour have lost control of nine councils to ‘no overall control’, including Exeter, Hartlepool, Oxford, Redditch, Tameside, Tamworth and Wandsworth.
The early results have piled pressure on Mr Starmer, who faced criticism ahead of the elections for his party’s performance in relation to a number of key issues, ranging from immigration to the economy.
The overnight counting revealed that it has already lost over 250 seats, while their traditional rival, the Conservative Party, has lost around 170 seats.
Responding to the initial results, Mr Starmer said that the results “hurt” and are very tough to take, but said that they “strengthen my resolve” to deliver the change that he had promised.
“We have lost brilliant Labour representatives across the country, these are people who put so much into their communities, so much into our party.
“And that hurts, and it should hurt, and I take responsibility,” he said.
Asked whether he intended to resign, the prime minister said “no”, adding that “I am not going to walk away”.
“We were elected to deal with these challenges and that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.
On challenges to his leadership, particularly from Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who is viewed by supporters as a potential replacement, Mr Starmer said that “there’s a five-year term I was elected to do,” and that he “intends to see that through”.
Both the Liberal Democrats and the Greens added to their tally as of 9AM this morning, adding 36 seats and 27 seats respectively.
Meanwhile, counting has just begun in the Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections, Labour facing the end of a 27-year-long rule in the latter in the face of competition from both Reform and Plaid Cymru.
More to come throughout the day.