Labour losses deepen across England as Reform UK surges in local elections

The scale of the electoral setback facing the UK Labour Party became increasingly clear overnight as the party suffered major losses in local council elections across England, while Reform UK recorded dramatic gains in several key regions.

Led by Keir Starmer, Labour entered Thursday’s elections already expecting difficult results, with party insiders warning that up to 1,850 councillors could be lost nationwide. Early counts suggested those concerns were well-founded, particularly in Labour’s traditional strongholds in northern England.

One of the most striking outcomes came in Hartlepool, where Reform UK swept all 12 contested seats. Labour had previously held a narrow majority on the council and was defending six of those seats. The result is expected to push Labour into opposition locally.

Although only one-third of council seats were contested, meaning Reform UK may not secure outright control, the party could still form alliances with independent councillors to gain influence over the authority.

The atmosphere among Labour members at the Brierton Sports Centre count was described as deeply gloomy. Jonathan Brash watched as his wife, Pamela Hargreaves, leader of Hartlepool Council, lost her seat during the count.

Brash strongly criticized the Labour leadership following the result, arguing that local campaigners and councillors had worked tirelessly but were being punished for decisions made at the national level. He called for Starmer to announce a timetable for stepping down as party leader and prime minister, suggesting Labour needed a leadership transition to restore voter confidence.

Voter turnout in Hartlepool reached 31.5%, slightly higher than the 28% recorded during the previous local elections in 2024.

Further setbacks for Labour emerged in Halton, where the party managed to retain only two of the 17 seats it was defending. Reform UK captured the remaining 15 seats in the first council area to complete counting on Friday morning.

In some wards, Reform candidates secured more than half of all votes cast, highlighting a dramatic shift in support compared with last year’s Runcorn and Helsby by-election, which Reform won by only six votes.

Despite the losses, Labour still retained overall control of Halton Council due to its previously large majority. However, the broader voting trends across north-west England indicated a challenging political landscape for Starmer’s government.

Additional Labour losses were reported in areas including Chorley and Wigan, both of which saw significant advances by Reform UK.

Meanwhile, councils in Redditch and Tamworth shifted to no overall control, while the Liberal Democrats took control of Stockport.

In Wigan, represented in Parliament by Lisa Nandy, Labour lost 20 council seats while Reform UK gained 23. Despite the heavy losses, Labour narrowly maintained control of the local authority.

The results are likely to intensify pressure on Starmer’s leadership as Labour faces growing concerns over voter dissatisfaction, especially in regions long considered loyal to the party.