Early local election results are inflicting increased pressure on Sir Keir Starmer with his party losing its grip of its heartlands amid a surge in support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
The prime minister, who was reportedly last night facing calls from former Labour leader Ed Miliband to set out a timetable for his departure, will today be counting the cost of major losses in traditional Labour-supporting areas, including Tameside, Hartlepool and Wigan.
As dawn broke, it was confirmed that the party had lost control of its eighth local authority; Westminster City Council.
Many pollsters expect Labour to lose more than 1,500 councillors.
Accrording to The Times, Mr Miliband had privately urged the Prime Minister to set out a timetable for his departure after the elections, while Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash, whose wife Pamela Hargreaves lost her seat in Reform’s clean sweep, said Sir Keir should go.
Deputy prime minister David Lammy urged his party not to play “pass the parcel” with the leadership in response to the election results.
Meanwhile, Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has said the early results are exceeding all his expectations, calling it a day of “historic change in British politics”.
Latest council results: Labour 182 councillors (-228), Reform 305 (+305), Lib Dem 230 (+35), Conservative 182 (-112), Green 44 (+22), Independents 19 (-17) Residents’ Assocition 8 (-5).
Key points
- Reform wins first council as party wins hundreds of seats so far
- Early morning round-up: Labour loses eight councils, Reform make huge gains
- Starmer can't survive election results, says Labour MP
- Ed Miliband 'privately urged Starmer to set timeline for departure'
- Farage claims 'historic change in British politics'
- What to expect in the coming hours
Southampton to Hartlepool: The councils Labour has lost control of
07:09 , Alex RossSir Keir Starmer is facing a challenging day with his party so far losing more than 200 councillors - and expected to lose 1,000 more as the results come in.
Labour has also lost control of eight councils.
They are:
Exeter: Now no overall control
Hartlepool: Now no overall control
Redditch: Now no overall control
Southampton: No overall controll
Tamworth: Now no overall control
Tameside: Now no overall control
Westminster: Now Conservative control
Wandsworth: Now no overall control
Closer look at Reform's first council win of the election
06:58 , Alex RossAs we’ve just reported, Reform UK has taken control of its first council of the election so far, winning Newcastle-under-Lyme.
The result paints a mullering for Labour, with the party losing 17 of the 19 councillor seats up for election. Reform, meanwhile, gained 27, while the Conservatives lost 10.
It will be a concern for the town’s Labour MP Adam Jogee, who had a 5,069 majority at the general election in 2024.
Earlier, Nigel Farage suggested his party was on course for a general election victory.
Starmer must go, says Labour MP
06:40 , Alex RossA Labour MP who saw his wife lose her council seat as Reform surged in Hartlepool has repeated his call for Sir Keir Starmer to step down amid a “terrible” night for his party.
Jonathan Brash, whose wife Pamela Hargreaves lost to Nigel Farage’s party, said: “I’m looking for change at the top of the Labour Party.
“It’s clear to me that the prime minister should take this opportunity to set out a timetable for his own departure, and then allow for the widest possible leadership election that includes all the talents of our party.
“There should be no blocking of any candidate from coming to the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party) if they feel they’ve got something to offer.
“As you can imagine, I’m really angry about tonight, because Labour politicians are delivering really big things, but we need a leadership of the party that is on the side of the British people.”
He added: “The results are terrible. It’s devastating for Hartlepool. It’s a terrible night.
“I don’t think Keir Starmer should survive these results.”
Breaking: Reform wins first council
06:34 , Alex RossReform UK has gained its first council of this year’s local elections, taking Newcastle-under-Lyme from the Conservatives.
Ed Miliband 'privately urged Starmer to set timeline for departure'
06:32 , Alex RossAs polls closed last night, and Sir Keir Starmer braced a difficult day ahead, The Times reported that energy secretary and former Labour leader Ed Miliband privately urged him to set out a timetable for his departure after the elections.
The outlet reported that Mr Miliband was concerned Labour will descend into “a bitter and damaging leadership contest” after the local elections.
But deputy prime minister David Lammy has urged his party not to play “pass the parcel” with the leadership in response to the election results.
He told the BBC there were “questions that we have to answer” but there were “no circumstances in which the answer to the questions that the British people are raising is to change the leader yet again”.
Labour sources also pointed to the heavy defeat suffered by the party in 1999 before Sir Tony Blair went on to win re-election by a landslide in 2001.
Lib Dems hail 'record-breaking winning streak' in local elections
06:27 , Millie CookeThe Lib Dems have hailed the party's results in the local elections so far, with the party's deputy leader Daisy Cooper claiming they are on a "record-breaking winning streak".
In a statement, she continued: "We are heading for our eighth set of local election gains in a row and are on track to beat Labour and the Conservatives once again.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our hardworking teams across the country, who knocked on over three-and-a-half million doors to take the fight to Farage and his politics of division.”
Ms Cooper added: “We’ve recorded stonking results in Stockport and Portsmouth, taking control of both councils and beating Reform. Many of our best results are still to come in places like Surrey, Sussex, Huntingdonshire, and Southwark.
“While those on the populist extremes of left and right just want to pitch groups against each other, Liberal Democrats have a plan to fix what’s broken and bring our country together.”
Southampton becomes seventh council Labour has lost
06:15 , Alex RossWe’ve just reported on Labour losing Wandsworth, and control of its sixth council - well, the party has just losts its seventh with Southampton.
The Labour leader of the council, Alex Winning, has also lost his seat.
The results for the council, where a third of seats were up for election, showed Reform gained seven seats, while Labour lost nine. Greens also won two, and the Lib Dems two also.
Labour has lost Wandsworth Council
06:12 , Alex RossLabour has lost Wandsworth Council to no party majority after shedding six seats, leaving it with 28.
The Tories have 29 seats after gaining eight, but failed to retake control of the south London council.
In 2022, Labour caused an upset by winning power from the Conservatives, who had been in control of the council since 1978.
Elections confirm 'fracturing of British politics' - John Curtice
05:47 , Alex RossSo far, Reform has made huge gains in England, taking more than 20 seats so far, while Labour has lost almost 160 and the Tories more than 30.
Pollster John Curtice told the BBC this morning that after Reform, Labour, Lib Dems, Conservatives and Greens were all trailing with just below 20 per cent of the vote share.
He said: “None of the parties are very big. The fracturing of British politics is underlined by these results and confirmed by them.”
Labour defeat may not be as bad as expected, says John Curtice
05:42 , Alex RossAs we and other outlets have reported, Labour was expected by some pollsters to lose more than 1,500 seats, which would place huge place on Sir Keir Starmer.
However, despite gains for Reform, pollster John Curtice told the BBC this morning that Labour’s losses may not be as big as expected.
He said: “It may well be now that Labour lose less than the 1,500 seats that perhaps some people said was the tipping point for attempts to unseat Keir Starmer, but only a hird of the seats are declared overnight and they are not all in yet. There is still along way to go.
“The big picture is Reform are ahead, it is clear that Reform are winning most votes in the elections declared so far in much the same way as they were in last year’s council elections.”
The latest this morning as Labour loses eight council
05:29 , Alex RossDawn is breaking in the UK, and although it’s still very early days in the results for the local elections, we’re starting to get an idea on the early winners, and so far it’s Reform.
The party has gained more than 200 seats in 37 of the 136 councils that have declared to so far, while Labour has lost more than 160, including its traditional northern heartlands.
Crucially, Labour has lost control of eight councils so far.
In Hartlepool, Reform won all 12 seats on offer, pushing the previously Labour-held council into no overall control, while Labour also lost control of Redditch, Tamworth and Exeter.
In Tameside, a council in Angela Rayner’s Greater Manchester constituency, Labour lost its majority to no overall control as Reform took 18 of the 19 seats up for election.
The party has also lost control of Wandsworth four years on from taking over what had been a long-held Conservative authority.
This morning, Reform leader Nigel Farage heralded a “historic change in British politics,” telling reporters “there is no more left-right” as his outfit was “scoring stunning percentages in traditional old Labour areas”.
Conservative leader in Harlow says Labour and Reform 'utterly trounced'
05:09 , Adam WithnallHarlow’s Conservative council leader, who led his party to victory in all 11 district council seats up for election in the town, has said a “bold vision” locally was behind his victory.
Asked what the Conservative Party’s future looked like, Dan Swords told the Press Association: “I think what we have shown in Harlow is if you set out a bold vision, you deliver against it and deliver tangible change that people can see, people will come out and vote for it – I think that’s what we need to do nationally.”
Mr Swords earlier said: “This is a local election, it’s about local issues and it’s about us finishing what we’re doing, and I’m pleased that residents have voted for that.
“I would certainly find it interesting if I were either a Labour or a Reform campaigner now trying to defend the fact they’ve just been utterly trounced but, you know, we just get on with what we’re doing.”
Mr Swords told PA: “I think it’s an incredibly hard night. You know, I know hundreds of councillors, Conservative councillors, up and down the country and they are truly the most dedicated, caring, loyal people who want nothing more than to improve the area they live in.
“And I think in nearly every single scenario, they will have lost because of the national picture.
“I don’t think many people have voted this evening because they think that Reform or whomever else will do a better job of running their council, I think they’re voting because they want change and that’s clear for everyone to see.
“And I hope that they will all be back very soon, following Harlow’s lead.”
Labour on 23% win rate after 25 councils declared
05:05 , Adam WithnallAfter 25 councils have fully declared their results, Labour has won 23% of the seats it was defending, while the Conservatives have won 57%, according to Press Association analysis.
Reform has so far won 48% of the seats it contested.
Lib Dems enjoy clean sweep in Richmond
04:59 , Adam WithnallThe Liberal Democrats have held control of the council of Richmond upon Thames – in itself not too remarkable, given they already had a strong base of 49 seats.
But Sir Ed Davey’s party have achieved something pretty rare in local politics – they now hold all 54 of the council’s seats.
The Green Party held the other five seats since 2018’s election for the south west London borough, and have lost all five.
Labour had held majority in Tameside for 47 years
04:46 , Adam WithnallLabour has lost its majority on Tameside council after an uninterrupted run of 47 years.
The party lost 14 of the 15 seats it was defending – enough to deprive it of a majority and leave the council with no group large enough to have overall control.
The new state of the parties is Labour 25 seats, Reform 19, independents eight and the Conservatives five.
At Salford, Labour hung on to the majority it has enjoyed since the local authority was established in its current form in 1973.
But after Thursday’s elections, the party now has only 57% of the total council seats, its lowest share since 1978.
The state of the parties at Salford is now Labour 34 seats, Reform 14, Conservatives six, Greens three, independents two and the Liberal Democrats one.
Farage claims results put Reform on path to general election victory
04:42 , Adam WithnallNigel Farage has suggested Reform UK are on course for a general election victory after taking council seats from Labour in early local election results.
Reform’s gains exceed 150 seats so far with results in from 13 of the 136 councils, while Labour have lost more than 120, including in its traditional northern heartlands.
A jubilant Farage heralded a “historic change in British politics,” telling reporters “there is no more left-right” as his outfit was “scoring stunning percentages in traditional old Labour areas”.
The Reform leader compared the substantial gains to clearing Becher’s Brook, a famously difficult jump in the Grand National.
“If we cleared Becher’s Brook and landed well, we go on to win the Grand National.
“What is very clear to me is that our voters will stick with us now all the way through.”
Labour losses soar past 100 seats
04:16 , Adam WithnallAccording to our live tracker, Labour have won just 30 seats so far tonight – a net loss of 120 compared to their previous position.
Reform have seen the biggest gains by far, improving their position by 136 seats.
The Greens have also done well, gaining 11 seats to bring their total to 17. The Lib Dems have gained 4.
The Conservatives have lost 20 seats, down to 34 – remarkably, that’s still above Labour.
See our full live tracker and election map here:
Elections results in full: Live map for every seat across England, Wales and Scotland
Lib Dems gain Portsmouth
04:12 , Adam WithnallThe Liberal Democrats hailed their gain of Portsmouth Council as “a stonking success” against the challenge of Reform UK.
A party spokesperson said: “This is a stonking success for the Liberal Democrats in Portsmouth. “We’ve held our ground and grown, despite Reform throwing everything they had at this campaign.
“Across the city, many voters have given short shrift to Farage – someone who chooses to side with Donald Trump even when he disparages our Royal Navy.”
What to expect in the coming hours
04:10 , Adam WithnallWe are past 4am now and would have expected Hampshire to be the first county council to declare results there, but that’s a bit behind schedule. The Conservatives have held a majority in Hampshire since 1997.
Here’s what else to look out for in the hours ahead:
5am
Among the authorities counting overnight still left to declare are six London councils: Bexley, Hammersmith & Fulham, Havering, Kensington & Chelsea, Merton, and Richmond upon Thames.
Bexley is Reform’s top target in the capital and the party may also do well in Havering, while the Lib Dems have gained ground in Merton in recent years and – together with other parties – may take enough seats from Labour this time to leave the council in no overall control.
9am
Counting gets under way for the parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, for 86 local authorities in England, and for the six mayoral contests.
1pm
The first constituency results from Scotland are likely to be announced around this time, with Airdrie, Ayr and Coatbridge & Chryston potentially among them.
In England the first mayoral result is due, from Hackney in east London. The result for the Newham mayoral contest should also be declared around this time, which is another Labour defence.
Among the first councils to finish declaring results should be Manchester, where a third of seats are up for election but where Labour’s majority is so huge it will remain in overall control even if it sustains heavy losses.
2pm
Results due to be completed in England around this time include Hyndburn, Preston, Rochdale and St Helens, all of which currently have a Labour majority but where it would only take a few seat changes to leave Preston and St Helens with no party in overall control.
3pm
Results from Scottish constituencies should be coming in fast by now, though it will be some time before the overall state of the parties in the parliament will become clear, as most of these individual seats are likely to be won by the SNP.
The first declarations from Wales are due around this time, where a new system of voting has been adopted that has seen the country divided into 16 super-constituencies, each of which sends six members to the Senedd, allocated proportionally according to the number of votes cast.
In London, the first of Friday’s results should be complete, with Labour defending huge majorities at Islington and Waltham Forest in the face of challenges from the Greens and independents in the former and Reform in the latter.
The mayoral result from Lewisham is due around this time – a role Labour has held continuously since the post was created in 2002, but which is another target for the Greens.
4pm
Results will pick up pace, with around 40 councils in England due to finishing counting in the next couple of hours.
Full results are also due from Barnsley and Gateshead, two more Labour strongholds since 1973 where every seat is up for grabs, along with other Labour-majority councils at Bury, Crawley, Greenwich, Ipswich, Trafford and Wolverhampton.
5pm
A string of London councils currently held by Labour are due to finish counting, including Barnet, where the Tories are hoping to regain control; Hackney, a top target for the Greens; and Redbridge, where Reform and independents are eyeing gains.
Two county councils should have a complete set of results by now, both of which are currently run by the Tories and where Reform is the main challenger: Essex and Norfolk.
In Scotland, the first members elected under the regional vote system should be announced by now, which is where smaller parties – particularly the Greens and Reform – are hoping to have some success.
6pm
The mayoral result for the London borough of Tower Hamlets is due, where Lutfur Rahman of the Aspire party is seeking another term.
Two brand new local authorities should finish their declarations, East Surrey and West Surrey, which will operate as “shadow” councils until formally replacing Surrey county council in 2027.
7pm
The last results of the day from England will include Bromley in London, where the ruling Conservatives will hope to hold on to their majority in the face of a challenge from Reform, and Calderdale in West Yorkshire, where Labour is defending a very slim majority.
All the results from Scotland and Wales are scheduled to be announced by Friday evening, though it may be late in the night before counting is complete.
Strong performance for Tories in Harlow
04:08 , Adam WithnallEarly results saw Reform UK doing well in Essex, taking 15 of the first 21 seats to be declared, with a total of 75 being contested and the final results not expected until Friday afternoon.
However, the Conservatives won all 11 seats being contested in Harlow, gaining five from Labour and retaining control of the council.
Labour lose control of Exeter
04:02 , Adam WithnallA result has been declared in Exeter, with Labour losing its majority to no overall control.
Labour previously held 23 seats of the council but have lost five today, taking the party below the 20 needed for a majority.
The biggest gains here are the Greens, not Reform, adding three seats to take their tally up to 10.
Labour lose fourth council as Tameside reverts to no overall control
03:54 , Adam WithnallA big result now as Labour lose control of Tameside in Greater Manchester, a borough which includes former Labour deputy prime minister Angela Rayner's seat.
That makes it four councils now that have gone from Labour majorities to no overall control.
The party has only held onto a single seat of those contested in Tameside, with the rest declared so far all going to Reform UK.
One former Labour councillor who lost their seat was in tears, telling Sky News the result reflected national, not local, issues.
The former Labour leader of Tameside council told Sky: "I think nationally, as a party, we need to go away and reflect the feelings of the public".
Asked whether she blamed Sir Keir Starmer for the loss, she said she didn't "land blame anywhere", instead calling it a "collective responsibility".
Polanski says Starmer should 'listen to the people and go'
03:40 , Adam WithnallGreen Party leader Zack Polanski said Sir Keir Starmer should “listen to the people and go” after dire early local elections results for Labour.
As the Greens said they felt bullish about their prospects in London boroughs to be counted later on Friday, Mr Polanski said: “These first Green gains confirm what I’ve heard as I criss-crossed England and Wales during the campaign.
“Voters are backing the only party taking the cost-of-living crisis seriously. We are the only party with real plans to cut bills, reduce rents and provide genuinely affordable homes.
“I’ve made it clear that we are here not just to be disappointed by Labour, but to replace them. These early results indicate that voters want to see that change too. That is why Keir Starmer has to listen to the people and go.”
He continued: “Of course, many councils are counting throughout Friday, so it will take time for the full scale of the Green successes to become clear.
“However, we are on course for a historic breakthrough in Wales, gaining Green representation in the Senedd in Wales for the first time.
“We are very confident that we will gain many seats in London – and are looking forward results from Newcastle and Bradford through to Sussex.”
Reform gains cross 100 seats
03:37 , Adam WithnallWith full results in from 13 of the 136 councils, Reform UK have gained 103 seats, with Labour losing 80.
The Conservatives have lost 11 seats, independents 22 and Your Party one, with the Greens gaining eight and the Liberal Democrats three.
Recap: Highlights of the election results so far
03:36 , Adam WithnallA summary of some of this morning’s highlights:
- Labour have lost control of three councils – Hartlepool, Redditch, and Tamworth
- Reform won all 12 of the seats on offer in Hartlepool, pushing the formerly Labour-run council into no overall control.
- Redditch and Tamworth also changed from Labour to no overall control, while the Liberal Democrats took control of Stockport.
- The first council to complete its count was Halton in Cheshire, which saw Labour lose 15 seats and Reform gain 15. But with only a third of its seats up for grabs, Labour’s large majority in Halton remained.
- Wigan, represented in Parliament by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, saw Labour lose 20 seats and Reform gain 23, but the authority remains Labour-controlled.
- From the first 11 councils to declare final results, Labour lost 71 seats and Reform gained 90.
- After 10 councils had fully declared their results, Labour had won only 17% of the seats it was defending, according to Press Association analysis. At the same point Reform had won 56% of the seats it was contesting.
With 10 councils declared, Labour's win rate is just 17%
03:32 , Adam WithnallAfter 10 councils have fully declared their results, Labour has won only 17% of the seats it was defending, according to Press Association analysis.
Reform has so far won 56% of the seats it was contesting.
In terms of councils changing hands, Labour have lost three to no overall control, while the Lib Dems have gained one council.
Lib Dems 'hold off rise of Reform' in Stockport
03:17 , Adam WithnallResponding to the Liberal Democrats taking Stockport council, which was previously under no overall control, a party spokesperson said: “This is a great result and shows that Liberal Democrat teams can win right across the country.
“Our hardworking local team has held off the rise of Reform – while others sought to sow division and chaos, we focused on the issues that matter.”
Nigel Farage says Reform sweep exceeding all his expectations
03:14 , Adam WithnallA jubilant Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told reporters at the party’s Millbank headquarters: “I think what you’re witnessing is an historic change in British politics. Forget left-right, there is no more left-right. It is gone, it is out of the window, it’s finished.
“As you can see, we are scoring stunning percentages in traditional old Labour areas.
“We’re currently averaging about 39% of the vote, of the seats that are in already, we’re currently on 145 seats won.
“We are way exceeding anything that I thought.”
When speaking about his predictions later Friday, he said: “What you’ll see tomorrow is the same pattern repeated across the south when we win Essex by an extraordinary margin and Norfolk by an extraordinary margin.”
Huge losses for Labour in Wigan – but they retain control of council
03:06 , Adam WithnallLabour lost 20 councillors in Wigan as Reform UK won all but one of the seats available.
Although Labour retains control of the council, represented in Parliament by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, it does so with a much-reduced majority.
Reform won 24 seats on the authority, bringing its total to 25, with an Independent candidate picking up the remaining seat on offer.
The Conservatives lost their one remaining seat in Wigan.
Reform say they are 'penetrating Red Wall'
03:03 , Adam WithnallReform UK claimed that Labour voters “are switching directly” to Nigel Farage’s outfit.
As Reform surges in early local election results, the party said on X: “It’s clear that Labour voters are switching directly to Reform.
“We are penetrating the red wall in a way the pollsters and experts simply didn’t predict.
“Britain wants Reform.”
It’s clear that Labour voters are switching directly to Reform.
— Reform UK (@reformparty_uk) May 8, 2026
We are penetrating the red wall in a way the pollsters and experts simply didn’t predict.
Britain wants Reform.
Breaking: Lib Dems win first council of night in Stockport
02:59 , Adam WithnallThe Lib Dems have gained control of Stockport, making it their first Greater Manchester council in 15 years.
Stockport had been a key target for the Lib Dems. The council was previously under no overall control, with Sir Ed Davey’s party just short of a majority.
The party have taken two seats, bringing them up to the 32 needed for a majority. Labour are again the biggest losers here, forfeiting control of five seats.
Conservatives retain control of Broxbourne
02:58 , Adam WithnallConservative MP Lewis Cocking has welcomed a “fantastic set of results” for his party in Broxbourne.
Ten out of 30 seats on the council were up for election in the Hertfordshire borough.
The Conservatives suffered a loss to Reform UK, but ultimately won seven seats and have retained control of the authority. Reform UK won two seats and Labour one.
Mr Cocking, who previously led Broxbourne Council, told the Press Association he was “really over the moon” with his party’s performance.
He said: “We’ve had a fantastic set of results in Broxbourne.
“I’m really sad we didn’t get three of our candidates over the line.”
Labour set to lose Exeter
02:55 , Adam WithnallExeter City Council appeared set to fall into no overall control, having been run by Labour since 2012.
Labour sources said they had retained four of the eight seats they were defending, losing three to the Greens and one to Reform UK. The result puts Labour on 18 out of 39 seats overall, just short of the 20 needed to control the council.
Lib Dems hopeful of taking Stockport
02:51 , Adam WithnallThe Liberal Democrats are confident they have taken control of Stockport council, a spokesperson told the Press Association ahead of the results announcement.
The council in Greater Manchester was previously under no overall control, with Sir Ed Davey’s party just short of a majority.
A total of 21 out of 63 seats were up for grabs.
Reform claim early seats on Essex council
02:49 , Adam WithnallReform UK won four early seats at Essex County Council, including Clacton North and Clacton South, where party leader Nigel Farage is the MP.
The final result in the county is not expected until Friday afternoon, as not everywhere is counting overnight.
Lammy says Starmer government will 'carry on'
02:46 , Adam WithnallDeputy PM David Lammy has insisted Sir Keir Starmer will stay in power despite what is increasingly looking like a very bad night for Labour.
Speaking to BBC Radio’s Election 26 Special, he said: "You don't change the pilot during the flight. You carry on, and you recognise too that governments sometimes - particularly incumbent governments - have it hard.”
On the same programme, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said there were concerns in the party that MPs like him would get into “a panic situation”.
“So it is better to actually have a conversation now about how do we get out of this.”
Labour MP for Hartlepool calls for Starmer to go
02:32 , Adam WithnallThe Labour MP for Hartlepool, where Reform UK took all 12 seats up for grabs, has called for Sir Keir Starmer to go.
Jonathan Brash, whose wife Pamela Hargreaves, leader of Hartlepool council, lost her seat as the council slipped into no overall control, said the Prime Minister should “set out a timetable for his departure” on Friday.
Mr Brash, who has previously said he did not expect Sir Keir to lead the party into the next general election, told The Guardian: “It has been a terrible night for the Labour Party.
“What I’ve seen here is extraordinarily good, hard-working, Hartlepool people lose their seats.
“I’ve seen canvassers working night and day in this election and it’s all been for naught and the reason has absolutely nothing to do with them.”
He added: “They are delivering for this town, they have been delivering for this town and the reality is we need change at the top of the Labour Party.
“I think the very best thing the Prime Minister could do now is address the nation tomorrow and set out a timetable for his departure.
“We can then have an orderly transition, one that, by the way, ensures the full breadth of talent within the Labour Party is able to stand, should it want to.”
Mr Brash also said it was “time to stop the political cowardice” on big issues affecting the country.
Labour haemorrhaging council seats in early results
02:30 , Adam WithnallLabour appeared to be haemorrhaging council seats in local elections across England as initial results pointed towards Reform UK gains.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party went into Thursday’s local elections expected to lose up to 1,850 councillors, with senior figures describing the contest as “tough”.
Initial results painted a bleak picture for the Prime Minister, with Labour losing councillors in its traditional northern heartlands.
In Halton, in Cheshire, Labour held two of the 17 seats it was defending as Reform UK gained 15 councillors in the first council to complete its count on Friday morning.
In some wards, Reform won with more than 50% of the vote in an area where last year Nigel Farage’s party won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes.
A national drubbing is likely to reignite speculation about Sir Keir’s leadership of the party and the country.
Labour lose control of Tamworth
02:29 , Adam WithnallLabour have lost control of Tamworth, Staffordshire, the third council of the night to move from a Labour majority to no overall control.
Labour still have the largest number of councillors there, but are down to 14 after losing two. Reform have gained nine seats to take them up to 10. The big losers are the Conservatives, losing six seats to take them down to just three.
Full counts in from three councils
02:15 , Adam WithnallIn the first three councils to complete counts – Halton, Redditch and Hartlepool – Labour lost 26 seats and Reform gained 34.
Redditch and Hartlepool have both gone to no overall control, while Labour retain Halton – despite winning only 2 of the seats up for grabs, compared to 16 for Reform.
All eyes on London
02:15 , Sian ElvinIf you live in the capital or are particularly keen to keep track of what’s happening in London, we have another map for you here.
All of the capital’s 32 boroughs are up for election and the mayors of Tower Hamlets, Croydon, Newham, Hackney and Lewisham will also be elected today.
You can find it at the link below:
London local elections 2026: Live results map for every mayoralty and council
More gains for Reform
02:05 , Sian ElvinReform UK were making gains in Wigan, taking six of the first seven results to be declared, with an independent taking the other seat.
Again, the result will not affect control of the council, as Labour began the night with 62 of the 75 seats, with only 25 seats being contested on the night. But it gives us an idea of how tonight could pan out.
Breaking: Labour sees first council losses
02:03 , Sian ElvinLabour’s first council losses were Hartlepool and Redditch, which both went to no overall control with Reform making large gains at each.
Hugs and cheers for Labour – at least for now
01:57 , Sian ElvinThere were hugs and cheers at the Salford City Council count as Labour held the Eccles ward with 1,663 votes to Reform’s 1,207.
The Green Party claimed the Quays seat from the Liberal Democrats.
Check out our live map for every seat
01:56 , Sian ElvinWe’ve prepared this useful live map below so you can keep track of the results across the country as they come in – you could even keep it open and come back to it, in case you accidentally fall asleep in the night.
Elections results in full: Live map for every seat across England, Wales and Scotland
