Labour Suffers Big Losses in English Local Elections, Reform UK Gains Momentum

LONDON: Partial results from local elections in England on Friday showed big losses for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's governing Labour Party and gains for the hard-right party Reform UK. The votes are being widely seen as an unofficial referendum on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he was elected less than two years ago. Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, won hundreds of local council seats in working-class areas in England's north such as Hartlepool that once were solid Labour turf. The picture will change throughout Friday as results come in from the majority of local councils, including Labour strongholds like London. Votes will also be counted in contests for semiautonomous parliaments in Scotland and Wales. A Labour rout could trigger moves by restive party lawmakers to oust a leader who led them to power in July 2024. Even if Starmer survives for now, many analysts doubt he will lead the party into the next national election, which must be held by 2029. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy cautioned the party not to topple the prime minister, saying "you don't change the pilot during the flight." The Green Party also hoped to increase its vote share and win hundreds of council seats in urban centers and university towns. The results reflect a fragmentation of British politics after decades of domination by Labour and the Conservatives. The Conservative Party is also expected to lose ground, with the centrist Liberal Democrats making some gains.