61 UK Councils Hung as Greens and Reform Surge, Nationalist Leaders Take Devolved Helm

The 2026 local and devolved elections have redrawn the map of British governance. England sees an unprecedented rise in councils without a clear majority, and the devolved nations have shifted to nationalist leadership for the first time in decades.

Key facts - Twenty‑two additional English councils moved to No Overall Control, bringing the total to 61 hung councils across the country. - Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, formed a government in Wales, ending Labour’s century‑long dominance. - The Scottish National Party retained power in Scotland as a minority administration, meaning nationalist first ministers now lead Wales, Scotland and England’s devolved administrations simultaneously.

What it means The surge in No Overall Control councils forces Labour, Conservatives, Greens and Reform UK to negotiate coalition arrangements at the local level. New councillors from the Greens and Reform UK must learn governance while delivering services strained by long‑standing financial pressures and rising demand for social care.

For Wales, the Plaid Cymru government faces the task of reshaping policy under an expanded 96‑member Senedd, while the civil service adapts to a new political agenda. In Scotland, the SNP’s minority status limits its legislative reach, requiring cross‑party deals to pass key measures.

Both developments create a de‑facto “dress rehearsal” for a fragmented Westminster after the next general election. Mayors of England’s Combined Authorities will also need to coordinate with council leaders from diverse party mixes, testing the viability of coalition governance on a larger scale.

The immediate challenge for all three nations is to maintain service delivery amid political turnover. Longer‑term, the pattern suggests a move away from the two‑party dominance that has defined UK politics for decades.

What to watch next: how coalition arrangements in hung councils affect local service outcomes, and whether nationalist leaders in Wales and Scotland can forge a coordinated stance with the UK government on inter‑governmental issues.