LONDON: Nigel Farage's Reform UK party had secured the most council seats in local elections in England by Friday night, even taking control of its first London council, as angry voters ousted hundreds of Labour and Conservative councillors in their traditional strongholds.
By that time, although results continued to come in overnight for the 5,000 seats, Reform had gained nearly 900 councillors, Labour had lost nearly 700, and the Conservatives had lost over 400. Reform UK had gained six councils while Labour had lost control of 15. The Green Party had gained 175 councillors, and the Liberal Democrats had gained 68.
Britain's long-established two-party politics is now dead, and a new era of five-party politics has begun.
By Friday night, Labour was on track to achieve the worst set of election results in its history, with the unpopularity of Prime Minister Keir Starmer frequently mentioned on doorsteps. Starmer stated he would not "walk away and plunge the country into chaos". Some unions and Labour MPs are calling for his resignation, and rumors of leadership challenges continue to circulate.
Farage said Starmer would "be lucky to still be PM by mid-summer" and that the country was witnessing a "truly historic shift in British politics". "Labour are being wiped out by Reform," he added.
Conservatives had little to celebrate other than regaining control of Westminster City Council.
The Green Party won its first directly elected mayor in Hackney. "It is very clear the new politics is Green Party versus Reform," said Green leader Zack Polanski.
In Scotland and Wales, all seats in their national parliaments are also being contested. On Friday night, Labour braced for the possibility of losing the Welsh Parliament for the first time since its formation in 1999—a significant setback given that Wales is the party's ideological birthplace. Reform UK Wales leader Dan Thomas, who won the first seat to be declared, said, "Labour's historic demise in their heartlands is a lesson for politicians to never forget the people who voted for you." The Scottish National Party (SNP) appeared poised to win a majority in the Scottish Parliament.
