After weeks of campaigning, leafleting, and speculation about the future of Keir Starmer, the much-anticipated local elections across the UK are almost here. On May 7, voters in Wales and Scotland will elect members to their respective devolved parliaments, while England will choose more than 4,850 councillors across 134 councils, including all 32 London boroughs.
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. Voters must bring valid photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence. As long as you are in the queue by 10pm, you will be allowed to vote. After polls close, counting begins immediately for overnight results.
Friday, May 8: Overnight and Morning Results
Early Hours (1am - 6am)
1:00am: Results from Broxbourne and Halton, where a third of each council is up for election. Broxbourne is likely to remain Conservative-held or slip to no overall control, while Halton is safe for Labour.
1:30am: Harlow results. The Conservatives could lose control, with Reform's presence in Essex likely leading to no overall control.
1:45am: Redditch results. Labour needs to retain just one seat to stay in control.
2:00am: Chorley, Hart, Hartlepool, Hull, Lincoln, North East Lincolnshire, and Rochford announce. Both North East Lincolnshire and Hull, which have Reform mayors, could see councils with no overall control.
2:30am: Tamworth and Wigan results. Both are safe for Labour.
3:00am: Basildon, Bolton, Brentwood, Exeter, Oxford, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Reading, Salford, Southend-on-Sea, and Tameside. The Lib Dems could take control of Brentwood, while others are likely to remain unchanged or result in no majority.
3:30am: Colchester and Dudley results. Both are likely to remain under no overall control. Westminster, with all seats up for grabs, is a key battleground where Labour could lose to the Conservatives.
4:00am: Fareham (halves), plus all-seat elections in Hampshire (Conservative-held), Newcastle-Under-Lyme, and Wandsworth (both Labour-held since 2022). Also Gosport, Havant, and Plymouth (thirds).
4:30am: Sutton and Ealing results.
5:00am: Bexley (could swing from Conservative to Reform), Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond-upon-Thames, Eastleigh, and Stockport.
5:30am: Hammersmith & Fulham declares.
6:00am: Havering results, where Reform hopes to perform well.
6:30am: Southampton declares. Labour cannot mathematically lose control.
Late Morning (9:30am - 2pm)
9:30am: First results from the Scottish Parliament elections. MSPs are elected via two voting systems (constituency and regional). The SNP is predicted to be the largest party, but a majority is uncertain, and the official opposition is up for grabs.
11:00am: Results from the Senedd elections in Wales. The voting system has been overhauled, and Labour faces a potential collapse, which could be the biggest shock of the day.
12:30pm: Blackburn and Manchester results. Manchester remains Labour-held, but Blackburn could be lost.
1:00pm: Burnley results. Ex-Labour councillors could be re-elected as independents.
1:45pm: North Tyneside remains under Labour control regardless of seat losses.
2:00pm: Cheltenham (likely Lib Dem hold), Hyndburn, Rochdale, Sheffield, Welwyn Hatfield (all thirds, likely no overall control).
Afternoon (2:30pm - 5pm)
2:30pm: Huntingdonshire, St Helens, Norwich, Pendle, Preston, and West Oxfordshire. Norwich is predicted to go Green.
3:00pm: Leeds declares (no overall control possible but Labour safe). Isle of Wight, Islington, Thurrock, Waltham Forest, Cannock Chase, Epping Forest, Knowsley, Rushmoor, and Three Rivers. Islington is a Green-Labour battle; Three Rivers is Lib Dem-held.
3:30pm: Nuneaton & Bedworth results. Likely no overall control due to Reform vote.
4:00pm: Gateshead, Greenwich, Sunderland (Labour-held), South Cambridgeshire (Lib Dem), Hillingdon, Suffolk, West Sussex (Conservative). Also Basingstoke & Deane, Crawley, Ipswich, Rugby, Trafford, Tunbridge Wells, West Lancashire, and Wolverhampton (thirds).
4:30pm: Harrow (likely Conservative hold), Barnsley (Labour but targeted by Reform), and Bury.
4:45pm: Newcastle-upon-Tyne declares.
5:00pm: Barking & Dagenham, Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Hackney, Milton Keynes, Redbridge, Sandwell, Coventry, Essex, and Walsall (all seats). Hackney could shift to Green. Cambridge, St Albans, Stevenage, Watford, and Wokingham (thirds).
Evening (5:30pm - 8:30pm)
5:30pm: Haringey, Hounslow, Norfolk, Sefton, and South Tyneside (full councils). These are hotly anticipated.
6:00pm: Camden (Labour but could go Green), Birmingham, Kingston, Southwark, East Surrey, East Sussex, Kirklees, Lambeth, Newham, Swindon, and West Surrey (full councils). Adur, Hastings, Wakefield, Winchester, and Worthing (thirds). Winchester is Lib Dem-held.
7:00pm: Bromley (traditionally Conservative but could go Reform) and Cherwell.
8:30pm: Calderdale declares (all seats).
Saturday, May 9
4:00pm: Bradford, Croydon, and Lewisham (all seats).
6:00pm: Tower Hamlets results. Currently run by local party Aspire.
Stay tuned for updates as the results come in. For more election coverage, check our news page.
