Britain's local elections delivered a much-expected shock, ending the old habit of choosing between Labour and the Conservatives. As both major parties took a serious beating, Nigel Farage's far-right Reform UK had a remarkable night, and so did the leftist Greens. For Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the fallout has triggered the gravest crisis of his leadership since Labour’s landslide general election victory just two years ago.
The scale of Labour’s losses stunned even seasoned observers. By the end of counting, the party had lost control of more than 25 councils and over 1,000 council seats across England. In many of Labour’s traditional industrial strongholds in the North and Midlands, the results amounted to political collapse. The party lost every seat it defended in Wigan, retained only three of 16 seats in Salford and surrendered control of Tameside for the first time in nearly half a century. One Labour MP described the results as “soul-destroying”.
The damage extended into London, long considered one of Labour’s safest regions. The party unexpectedly lost control of Brent, Hackney and Waltham Forest, suggesting disillusionment had spread beyond the economically struggling areas where Labour had traditionally feared decline.
In Wales, the elections marked the end of an era. Labour suffered a near-wipeout, bringing more than a century of political dominance to a close. Eluned Morgan, Wales’s first minister, lost her seat and resigned as Welsh Labour leader after Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party in the Senedd. In Scotland, Labour slipped to a distant second place, tied with Reform UK, while the Scottish National Party remained the largest force despite failing to secure an outright majority.
The Conservatives fared little better. The party lost hundreds of council seats, with many former supporters drifting either towards Reform UK or the Liberal Democrats. Although the Conservatives managed to reclaim Westminster council in central London, the victory offered little comfort against the broader collapse in support.
The election’s clearest winner was Farage and his insurgent Reform UK movement. The party gained more than 1,400 seats nationwide and, according to the BBC’s projected national vote share, emerged as the largest party with 26 per cent support. Labour and the Conservatives were both reduced to 17 per cent, while the Greens surged to 18 per cent.
Reform’s advance was particularly striking in economically deprived regions where voters appeared increasingly alienated from the traditional parties. The party seized control of Essex county council, a Conservative stronghold since 2001, along with councils in Havering and Sunderland. Farage celebrated the outcome as a “historic shift in British politics”, arguing that Reform had become the authentic voice of neglected working-class communities. Analysts noted that Reform’s support rose most sharply in areas marked by economic stagnation, declining public services and frustration over immigration.
Yet there are questions about whether Reform can sustain its momentum. Some pollsters have cautioned that despite its impressive vote share, the party’s performance under Britain’s electoral system suggests its support may already be nearing a ceiling. Translating protest votes into parliamentary representation remains a difficult challenge under first-past-the-post elections.
The Green Party also capitalised on widespread dissatisfaction, especially among younger and progressive voters who believe Labour has abandoned its left-wing roots. Deputy leader Zack Polanski declared that Britain’s “two-party politics is dead and buried” as the Greens secured historic breakthroughs. The party won its first directly elected mayoralties in Hackney and Lewisham and took overall control of councils including Norwich, Hastings, Hackney and Waltham Forest.
The Greens successfully positioned themselves as a more radical alternative to Labour, campaigning on wealth taxes, rent controls and a tougher stance on Israel. However, like Reform UK, the party faces structural obstacles. Britain’s electoral system tends to punish parties whose support is spread broadly rather than concentrated geographically, making it difficult for the Greens to convert growing popularity into proportional political power.
For Starmer, the elections have become a direct threat to his authority. At least 22 Labour MPs publicly called for him to step down or announce a timetable for his departure. Louise Haigh, the former transport secretary, warned that unless Labour delivered urgent and visible change, Starmer could not lead the party into another general election. Labour MP Simon Opher was even more blunt, saying the party would be “slaughtered” if Starmer remained leader at the next election.
Pressure has also come from Labour’s powerful trade union allies. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham issued a stark warning to the Prime Minister, telling him to “change or die”. Union leaders demanded urgent talks with the government, accusing Labour of losing touch with working people and abandoning the economic promises that helped return the party to power.
Even key Labour figures who remain publicly loyal have sounded the alarm. Sadiq Khan warned that the threat facing Labour had become “existential” unless the government accelerated policy delivery and reconnected with frustrated voters.
Starmer’s difficulties have been compounded by a series of political controversies and policy reversals that have eroded his image as a disciplined and competent leader. The appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States turned into a damaging scandal after his dismissal over links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Combined with repeated policy U-turns, the episode reinforced perceptions of a government lacking direction and political judgement.
Despite mounting rebellion within his party, Starmer has refused to resign. He has argued that stepping down would plunge Britain into instability and insists Labour must remain focused on governing rather than internal warfare. Writing in The Guardian, he rejected demands from some MPs to shift sharply leftwards to counter the Greens, arguing that Labour’s future depended on unity rather than ideological swings.
Several senior ministers, including Wes Streeting, Rachel Reeves and John Healey, have rallied behind him, warning that a leadership battle would deepen the crisis. Yet privately, many within Labour now doubt Starmer will survive long enough to lead the party into the 2029 general election.
Potential successors, including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, are reportedly waiting cautiously on the sidelines as tensions within the party intensify.
The local elections have revealed something larger than a temporary swing against an unpopular government. They suggest Britain is entering a new political era in which loyalty to the two traditional parties can no longer be taken for granted. Whether Labour and the Conservatives can recover from this rupture, or whether Reform UK and the Greens can transform protest into lasting power, may define British politics for the next decade.
