Labour Loses Seats in UK Local Elections

Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a speech at a community centre in London on Monday in which he pledged to prove his doubters wrong after Labour suffered heavy losses in local elections across England and legislative votes in Scotland and Wales.

“I know I have my doubters and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will,” Starmer said. ” Starmer told the audience of party lawmakers and activists that the government will take control of Britain’s energy, economic and defense security, make the country fairer, and warned that Britain will go down “a dark path” if Reform UK comes to power.

In the hours after the speech a steady stream of Labour lawmakers called for Starmer to resign, either immediately or by September. Several ministerial aides joined the calls in an apparently coordinated move. More than 50 Labour lawmakers urged him to announce a departure date.

Labour MP Catherine West said she would hold off triggering a leadership challenge for now but urged Starmer to resign by September. ITV journalist Robert Peston reported that West is preparing to challenge Starmer for leadership of the Labour Party.

“I don’t think we saw a plan from the prime minister this morning in order to implement the kind of change that this country needs, and I therefore think it’s time for us to look for new leadership,” Labour lawmaker Chris Curtis told Sky News.

Stringer said he had “never experienced such hostility” while canvassing in his entire parliamentary career. ” She said the government must “stay true to Labour and social democratic values” and ease the cost of living for working people. Labour lost more than 1,460 council seats in last week’s local elections in England while Reform UK gained around 1,450 seats.

The results followed Labour’s landslide victory when it came to power in July 2024. The latest Ipsos Political Pulse opinion poll shows half of Britain’s electorate believes Starmer should step down and two-thirds believe he is unlikely to win reelection. To trigger a Labour leadership contest more than 20 percent of Labour MPs, or 81 of them, must support a new candidate.

U.K. general election must be held by July 2029. Starmer announced plans to nationalize what is left of British Steel, a year after the government first intervened to keep its operations going.

The New York Times reported that Britain will nationalize its last major steel mill. Starmer also pledged to put Britain “at the heart of Europe” and forge closer ties with the EU. He said he will secure a youth mobility deal so young people can spend a few years working across the continent.

Starmer’s government has already moved to ease trade restrictions with the EU. The EU is preparing to allow Britain to keep its ban on live animal exports as part of a joint deal on food and agricultural products. Starmer appointed Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington in December 2024.

Mandelson was sacked after embarrassing emails between him and Jeffrey Epstein were uncovered by British media in September 2025. Starmer agreed a “one-in-one-out” deal with France last year to return undocumented migrants. Gilts weakened after Starmer said he will fight any leadership challenge.

Some who attended the speech said removing the prime minister who led Labour to victory in 2024 would be counterproductive.