West Yorkshire Mayor Calls Labour Results 'Catastrophic' as Reform UK Seizes Key Councils

The elections were held on 7 May across West Yorkshire’s five metropolitan districts. Labour had governed Wakefield and Calderdale for decades, making the shift a notable change in local politics. Brabin appeared on BBC Radio Leeds’ “Message the Mayor” to discuss the outcome and stress the importance of working with newly elected councillors.

- Brabin said the results were “catastrophic” for the Labour Party in West Yorkshire. - Reform UK won outright control of Wakefield and Calderdale councils and became the largest party in Bradford and Kirklees. - She described the mass‑transit project as a tangible effort to build a supply chain that will prepare young people for well‑paid jobs.

Reform UK’s gains indicate a voter realignment in areas traditionally loyal to Labour, which could shift council priorities on housing, transport, and public services. Brabin’s call for collaboration suggests she will seek to cooperate with the new councillors despite party differences, focusing on shared goals such as apprenticeship programmes.

Observers should monitor how the newly formed council administrations negotiate power‑sharing agreements and whether the mass‑transit plan secures bipartisan backing for implementation ahead of the next local election cycle in 2028.