Monday, May 18Monday, May 18The 2026 local elections in England saw significant losses for the ruling Labour Party under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with early results indicating over 240 lost council seats across 40 of the 136 English councils reporting. Starmer acknowledged responsibility for the defeats but vowed to remain in office, emphasizing his commitment to delivering change despite growing doubts over his leadership .
The Conservative Party, still recovering from its historic 2024 general election defeat, framed the results as a challenging but necessary step in its rebuilding process. Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake stated that the party had run an "energetic and positive campaign" but acknowledged difficulties due to past polling highs. He positioned the Conservatives as the only credible alternative to Labour, while criticizing both Reform UK and Labour for their policies .
No direct results or statements regarding Tory mayoral elections (the "4_election_elected_tory_mayoral" topic) were reported in the provided articles. The focus of the coverage remained on Labour’s losses, Reform UK’s gains, and broader local council shifts.
Farage Celebrates Reform UKs Strong Performance in Local Elections In early results, Nigel Farages Reform U.K. party has won more than 400 council races across England.
new york times · 10 days ago
Gilt Yields Fall, Sterling Rises After PM Starmer Vows to Stay on Despite Heavy Local Election Losses U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would stay in his post, even as his Labour Party saw heavy losses in local elections.
wsj · 10 days ago
Defiant Starmer digs in after UK Labours local election drubbing Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed on Friday to fight on to deliver on his promise to bring change to Britain after his Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local election that deepened doubts over his ability to govern. Just under two years after winning a landslide national election, Starmer saw voters punish his Labour government, dealing it a blow in some of its traditional strongholds in former industrial regions in central and northern England. The main beneficiary was the populist...
south china morning post · 10 days ago
Keir Starmers Labour braces for heavy losses in UK local elections The far right are making gains in England as the results of local elections are counted overnight. The governing Labour party has lost control of a number of councils... and pressure is piling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer. While most results wont be declared until later Friday, Reform UK — led by populist Nigel Farage — is on course for a major victory. Details by FRANCE 24s correspondent in London, Bénédicte Paviot.
france24 · 10 days ago
UK PM says he takes responsibility for Labour losses in local elections By 8 am local time, Nigel Farages anti-immigrant Reform UK had gained over 350 seats, while Labour under Keir Starmer had lost over 240 across 40 of the 136 English councils to announce results so far.
le monde · 10 days ago
Reform surges in English local elections — follow the results Nigel Farages party has won about 300 seats in early results
financial times · 10 days ago
UKs Labour set for heavy losses in elections as Reform makes early gains Nigel Farages populist party Reform UK has made early gains in local elections with wins in Labour heartlands.
aljazeera · 10 days ago
UK elections – early results and takeaways; will Starmer have to resign? Ruling Labour party has suffered early losses with Reform and Greens gaining in local council elections.
aljazeera · 10 days ago
Starmer defies calls to quit after heavy Labour council losses Nigel Farages Reform UK makes early gains in English local elections
financial times · 10 days ago
Elections 2026 live: Starmer says he takes responsibility as Labour loses hundreds of council seats in England Local council results are being announced in England; Scottish and Welsh parliament results are due from midday2026 election results: latest from local, Scottish and Welsh votesWere getting statements from some of the political parties now as we wait for results.For the Conservatives, party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said:We have run an energetic and positive campaign, showcasing that we have a clear plan to get Britain working again and that we have the team to deliver it... We know that so soon after a historic general election defeat and contesting wards won during the Partys polling highs, that this will be a difficult set of elections for us. But we will continue to rebuild and to show the public that we have changed, to demonstrate that only this new Conservative party is a credible alternative.People are deeply disappointed with a Labour government that has been too timid to fix the country, but they are also appalled by the rise of Reform and Nigel Farages Trump-style politics. While those on the extremes of the right and the left want to burn everything down, Liberal Democrats want to fix whats broken. Every Liberal Democrat local champion elected today will fight tirelessly for the communities they serve.Ive travelled across England and Wales and Im hearing the same everywhere I go – confidence that we will win more councillors than ever before. The news from the doorstep is that we will be taking seats from not just Labour but the Tories and Lib Dems too, from all across the country. Voters are responding to the fact that Greens are the only party taking the cost-of-living crisis seriously, with real plans to cut bills, reduce rents and provide genuinely affordable homes, as well as tackling the climate and nature crisis.Throughout this election, we have heard a clear appetite for change. People want a government that will stand up for Wales and focus relentlessly on the key issues affecting their lives. People have told us they have been inspired by Rhun ap Iorwerths leadership and driven by a desire for a positive alternative to Reform UKs chaos and division. Continue reading...
theguardian · 10 days ago
Labour suffers heavy early losses as Reform surges Keir Starmer set to come under renewed pressure as ruling party faces dire results in local elections
financial times · 10 days ago