In the United Kingdom local elections 2026, 46 of the 136 councils that finished counting showed Labour losing more than 250 seats. These elections are proving tough for the ruling Labour Party.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called England’s local elections tough and said such days would not weaken his resolve to deliver the change he promised.
The early results show Reform UK leading with more than 350 council seats, including Newcastle-under-Lyme and Havering. The Conservatives have also lost ground.
“I’m not going to walk away,” UK PM says
While speaking in Ealing, west London, Sir Keir Starmer called the election “very tough” and said there was no sugar-coating the results.
“We have lost brilliant Labour representatives across the country. These are people who put so much into their communities and so much into our party,” Starmer added.
Starmer, who appeared hurt by the results, said, “I take responsibility.”
When asked if he was going to step down, the UK PM said, “I’m not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos.”
UK Local Election 2026 Latest Updates
So far, Reform UK has emerged as the biggest winner with 400 seats, followed by the Conservatives, who currently have 256 seats. Labour, with 253 seats, is currently in third place, while the Liberal Democrats, with 249 seats, are fourth.
The Green Party has also made significant gains, but the majority of its target seats have still not finished counting.
The counting in Scotland and Wales for seats in their respective parliaments is still underway. In Wales, Labour’s 27-year-long rule is likely to end. The party’s poor performance is expected to raise questions about Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
According to Sharon Hoffman, the only remaining Labour councillor in Hull, the national Labour government had “done us a lot of damage.”
“People on the doorsteps while we were campaigning were saying: ‘We think you’re a great councillor, we really support you, but we cannot support Labour,'” he added.
He also stated that people would not vote for Keir Starmer or anybody representing him.
The counting in Scotland and Wales also began a while ago.
Starmer should stand aside: Former PLP Chair
Dave Watts, a former Labour peer who served as a whip in the Commons under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, has written an article for HuffPost UK.
In his article, the former PLP chair stated that Keir Starmer should stand aside and allow Andy Burnham to replace him as Labour leader and prime minister.
He also raised questions about Starmer’s ability to lead the country through turbulent times.
“Does Keir Starmer possess the qualities required to steer the country through these turbulent times and reconnect with a disillusioned electorate? On the evidence of Thursday’s results, the answer is no,” Watts wrote.
He further stated that many MPs and Labour voters want change, and that popular Labour politician Andy Burnham represents that change.
“I believe that Andy should be allowed to stand in a by-election to boost Labour’s prospects and provide the leadership needed,” Watts added.
