Keir Starmer’s Labour party has been left shaken by local elections across the United Kingdom that have revealed a surge of support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, and big support for nationalist parties in Wales – Plaid Cymru – and Scotland – the Scottish National Party (SNP).
Analysts say the estimates of the final results point to “deep and unprecedented fragmentation” – in the words of polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice.
By last evening, Reform was the biggest winner, picking up more than 1,200 council seats and projected to achieve a 26% share of the overall tally.
Labour suffered a historic defeat in Wales after 27 years in power in the Welsh Parliament to Plaid Cymru, now the largest party, with Reform in second.
Last evening, the SNP was projected to win the most seats in the Scottish parliament.
Starmer vowed to stay in office to “deliver change”, with Cabinet colleagues rallying around him with a series of posts on social media. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Defence Secretary John Healey and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander all shared supportive messages on X.
This followed calls from some Labour MPs for Sir Keir to set out a timetable for his departure from Downing Street, a proposal the Prime Minister had earlier said would would leave the country in chaos.
Last evening, Reform UK was projected to win 26%, followed by the Greens (18%), Conservatives and Labour tied on 17%, and the Lib Dems (16%), with others accounting for the remainder.
Reuters commentator Jon Sindreu noted that the British 10-year bond yields reacted calmly after Reform UK’s local election gains and Labour and Tory losses, but added: “Yet the rise of formerly fringe political parties bodes ill for the economy. Upstarts are even less likely than the current government to deliver coherent policy.”
Sources: The Guardian, BBC, Reuters
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