Labour loses control of 25+ councils as Reform UK surges

TL;DR: Labour has lost control of more than 25 councils and over 1,000 seats in England, many to Reform UK, intensifying pressure on Keir Starmer to announce a leadership exit plan.

Context The latest local election night delivered a crushing blow to the governing Labour Party. Across England, the party ceded dozens of councils and a thousand councilors, while Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, captured large swaths of the Midlands, the north and parts of the south. The results echo earlier setbacks in Wales, Scotland and London, where Labour’s dominance has eroded.

Key Facts - Labour’s loss of more than 25 councils marks the party’s biggest local setback in a generation. Reform UK secured the majority of those gains, taking seats previously held by both Labour and the Conservatives. - In Wales, First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her seat, and Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party, pushing Labour toward a historic loss of the Senedd majority. - The Scottish National Party (SNP) retained its lead in Holyrood, while Scottish Labour fell to third place behind the SNP and Reform. - London saw the Greens win two directly elected mayors and three councils, further chipping away at Labour’s urban base. - Senior Labour figures, including former cabinet minister Louise Haigh, warned that without “significant and urgent change” Starmer cannot lead the party into another election. Backbenchers called for a dignified timetable, suggesting an autumn conference followed by a leadership contest. - Farage hailed the outcome as a “truly historic shift in British politics,” crediting Reform UK’s surge as the catalyst. - Despite the rout, Labour held its ground in Redbridge, where Wes Streeting retained his seat, and the party reclaimed the Westminster council in central London.

What It Means The scale of Labour’s losses has turned internal dissent into a public demand for a clear succession plan. Starmer has resisted calls to step down, arguing that a premature exit would plunge the party into chaos. Yet the combination of Reform UK’s breakthrough and the Greens’ urban gains suggests a fragmentation of the traditional two‑party system. The next week’s prime‑ministerial speech and the upcoming king’s speech will attempt to reset the narrative, but the party’s future hinges on whether Starmer can deliver the “significant and urgent change” demanded by his own MPs.

Looking ahead, watch for Starmer’s response to the leadership timetable pressure and for any reshuffle of senior Labour figures ahead of the autumn conference.