Reform UK Gains as Labour and Tories Struggle in Elections

The Labour and Conservative parties are grappling with the outcome of England’s local and mayoral elections, as Reform UK makes significant inroads at their expense. With all votes tallied, Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, secured control of 10 councils, claimed two mayoral victories, and won a fifth MP seat in Runcorn and Helsby.

Sir Keir Starmer admitted the Labour government still had work to do in delivering tangible benefits to citizens, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch vowed to restore her party’s image as a “credible” choice for voters. Meanwhile, Farage declared the results marked “the end of two-party politics” and described the Conservative Party’s state as “dead.”

In an article for The Times, Starmer rejected radical ideologies, instead calling for acceleration in efforts to meet public expectations: “It’s time to crank up the pace on giving people the country they are crying out for.” Within Labour ranks, dissent has emerged over policies such as cuts to winter fuel payments, which some argue alienated elderly voters.

Labour MP Rachael Maskell urged the government to reverse the cuts, telling BBC Breakfast the party must prioritize wealth redistribution over taking from society’s most vulnerable.

On the Conservative side, Badenoch apologized to ousted councillors and wrote in The Telegraph that the party must work hard to regain its footing: “They didn’t deserve it – and they weren’t the reason we lost.”

The Tories suffered losses across the board, relinquishing all 16 councils they were defending and 676 seats in total. Former Kent County Council leader Roger Gough acknowledged the party’s ongoing struggles: “We are still under the shadow of our time in government.”

Despite the grim outlook, shadow chief treasury secretary Richard Fuller affirmed Kemi Badenoch’s leadership for the future and ruled out any alliance with Reform UK, noting Farage’s clear aim is to “destroy the Conservative Party.”

Projected national vote share placed Reform UK at 30% (+28), with Labour at 20% (-14), the Liberal Democrats at 17% (unchanged), Conservatives at 15% (-10), and Greens at 11% (-2).

The Liberal Democrats also made headway, adding 163 seats and gaining control of councils such as Shropshire, Oxfordshire, and Cambridgeshire. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said his party had replaced the Tories as the voice of “Middle England.” Munira Wilson emphasized the Lib Dems’ focus on core local and national issues, from healthcare to foreign policy.

Meanwhile, the Green Party added 43 seats, continuing their steady rise in local representation. However, they fell short in the West of England mayoral race. Green peer Baroness Jenny Jones suggested the UK may be entering an era of “five-party politics,” offering voters greater policy choice beyond Labour and the Conservatives.