politics
Reform UK Wins Over 400 Seats in UK Local Elections
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he will not resign after his Labour Party recorded major losses in local elections across England. Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, made significant gains including in traditional Labour strongholds. Partial results also showed the Conservatives regaining some ground while highlighting a broader fragmentation of British politics.
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Partial results from local elections in England showed Reform UK winning more than 400 council seats, including in former Labour heartlands in northern England such as Hartlepool, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer's party suffered heavy losses. According to early counts reported by the BBC and Associated Press, Reform also picked up seats from the Conservatives in areas like Havering on the eastern edge of London.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the outcome represented a "truly historic shift in British politics" and that his party is "here to stay," per statements carried by AFP and Al Jazeera. The elections took place on May 7, 2026, less than two years after Labour's national victory in July 2024.
" He took responsibility but rejected calls to step down. "The voters have sent a message about the pace of change, how they want their lives improved. I was elected to meet those challenges, and I'm not going to walk away from those challenges and plunge the country into chaos," Starmer stated, as quoted by the Associated Press.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy urged the party not to oust Starmer, saying one does not change the pilot during the flight.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told supporters her party is "coming back" despite losing ground. She argued that voters who had tried Reform UK in the past were now rejecting it and outlined plans to focus on high streets, businesses, veterans, farmers and stamping out antisemitic hatred, according to GB News.
The Conservatives regained control of Westminster City Council from Labour. Badenoch insisted the country needs the Tories to deliver a stronger economy and get Britain working again.
