The 2026 local and devolved elections have delivered a historic blow to Keir Starmer's Labour Party, with heavy losses across England, Scotland, and Wales. The party lost ground to opponents on both the left and right, reflecting a highly fragmented political landscape.
Record Losses in England
In England, Labour lost support to Reform UK on the right and the Greens on the left. As of early Saturday, 40 English councils recorded a record drop in Labour's share of seats, with some falling to their lowest representation since the 1970s. The BBC's projected national vote share shows Labour at its lowest ever in local elections, while Reform and the Greens made significant gains.
Scottish Setbacks
In Scotland, Labour failed to capitalize on discontent with the SNP, as the nationalists retained power. Reform made gains at the expense of the Conservatives, further squeezing Labour's vote share.
Welsh Wipeout
Labour's collapse in the Senedd was even more dramatic, losing power for the first time since devolution in 1999. Its vote share fell by more than half, pushing it into third place behind Plaid Cymru and Reform. Plaid Cymru became the largest party, while Reform surged into second.
The results underscore a historic fragmentation of British politics. Professor John Curtice of the University of Strathclyde noted, "We have never had five-party politics before. We're in unprecedented territory." The election saw Labour lose its majority in Wales, a swathe of councils in England, and fail to make inroads in Scotland, while Reform supplanted the Conservatives as the main right-wing force in Wales and Scotland.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged the defeat, stating, "The results are tough, they are very tough, and there's no sugar-coating it. We have lost brilliant Labour representatives across the country... and I take responsibility."
