Labour faces worst local elections result this century
Labour is on track for its worst local elections performance so far this century, as results begin to flood in from yesterday's votes in England, Scotland and Wales. The party has lost control of several long-held councils in the north of England, including Tameside, where ex-Deputy PM Angela Rayner has her constituency seat.
Nigel Farage's Reform UK has quickly emerged as the big winner, picking up more than 300 seats on the first 40 councils to declare. In Hartlepool, an area once considered a Labour heartland, the right-wingers picked up every seat that was available, though it did not take overall control.
Expert analysis
Professor Jon Tongue of the University of Liverpool told BBC News: 'Labour's looking at the worst local election performance this century, whatever measurement you use. If it's the percentage of seats that Labour's likely to lose, that could be as high as 75% – no party's ever lost more than 68% of the seats it was defending. If you look at the sheer volume of seats that could be lost, that could be as many as 1,500 and possibly more for Labour.' He added: 'It's a pretty grim tale, in terms of the Labour meltdown.'
Political fallout
Hartlepool's Labour MP Jonathan Brash, a long-time critic of Sir Keir Starmer, called for the Prime Minister to step down following the results. He said: 'The best thing the Prime Minister could do is address the nation tomorrow and set out a timetable for an orderly transition.'
Later there will also be results from parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, which could also present a bleak picture for Labour. It's widely expected the party could lose control of Wales for the first time since devolution – and end a winning streak in the country that has lasted 104 years. In Scotland, the most recent polls suggested the SNP will extend its 19-year reign while Labour and Reform battle for second place.
Overall, 135 councils across England will announce results today, including every borough in London. The scale of the losses has led to widespread speculation about Sir Keir Starmer's future as Labour leader.
