Britain’s ruling Labour Party suffered heavy defeats in local and regional elections held across the country last week, prompting demands within and beyond the party for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down — demands he has rejected.
The votes were both about local government and a wider judgment on the national government. Roughly 5,000 council seats were contested in about 136 council contests. Labour won just over 1,000 of those seats but lost more than 1,100 it previously held. Right-wing populist Reform UK made the biggest net gains, picking up more than 1,400 seats. The Green Party added over 300 seats, the Liberal Democrats more than 150, and the Conservatives — Labour’s main rivals until recently — lost over 500 seats.
The scale of Labour’s losses reflects growing voter unease with Starmer’s leadership. Critics point to a sluggish economy, controversy over a diplomatic appointment linked to Jeffrey Epstein, and a surge in antisemitism that authorities have described as a national emergency. Starmer and his team say they accept responsibility for poor results but insist the government will continue.
Starmer acknowledged the results as “really tough” and said he would not “walk away,” framing his administration as a longer-term project of renewal. That stance has not silenced opponents inside his party: some Labour MPs, including Norwich South’s Clive Lewis, publicly demanded his resignation. Starmer, however, told an interview that he intends to lead into the next general election, which must be held before May 2029.
Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, celebrated sweeping gains and framed the outcome as an end to the traditional two-party dominance. Reform captured control of some notable councils, including Essex county council, Havering in London (its first London authority), and Sunderland in the north. Farage, a prominent Brexit campaigner and occasional ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, has faced scrutiny over large donations to his party but that did not stop Reform’s momentum.
The Green Party also made significant advances, particularly in London, where it won control of councils that were long held by Labour — including Hackney and Lambeth. Greens have attracted voters unhappy with Labour’s perceived drift from progressive policy on issues such as the environment and local services.
Regional patterns underlined the fragmented political map. In Scotland, the Scottish National Party again won the most seats, extending its run of regional success, while Labour fared poorly. In Wales, Plaid Cymru, the pro-independence party, emerged with the most seats as Labour’s support collapsed. Combined with nationalist governments in Northern Ireland and Scotland, Plaid Cymru’s advance means nationalist parties now lead outside England, highlighting constitutional and regional divisions within the United Kingdom.
Taken together, the results suggest Britain’s political landscape is no longer dominated by two parties. At least five significant forces — Labour, Conservatives, Reform UK, the Greens, and the Liberal Democrats, along with regional nationalists — will be vying for influence ahead of the next general election. For Starmer, the immediate consequence is renewed pressure to change direction politically and to reassure voters that his government can deliver on economic stability, public services and social cohesion — while staying in office to try to do so.