U.K. local elections: Partial results show losses for Starmer’s Labour and wins for Reform U.K.

Partial results from section elections successful England connected Friday (May 8, 2026) showed large losses for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s governing Labour Party and gains for the hard-right enactment Reform U.K.

The votes are being wide seen arsenic an unofficial referendum connected Mr. Starmer, elected little than 2 years ago.

Areas that counted their ballots overnight saw Reform U.K., led by Nigel Farage, triumph hundreds of section assembly seats successful working-class areas successful England’s northbound specified arsenic Hartlepool.

The representation volition alteration passim connected Friday (May 8, 2026) arsenic results travel successful from the bulk of section councils, including Labour strongholds similar London. Votes volition besides beryllium counted successful contests for semiautonomous parliaments successful Scotland and Wales.

A Labour rout could trigger moves by restive enactment lawmakers to oust a person who led them to powerfulness successful July 2024. Even if Starmer survives for now, galore analysts uncertainty helium volition pb the enactment into the adjacent nationalist election, which indispensable beryllium held by 2029.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy cautioned the enactment not to topple the Prime Minister, saying “you don’t alteration the aviator during the flight.”