Reform UK surges as Labour loses 1,500 seats in British local elections
Synopsis
Reform UK's surge in British local elections has redrawn the political map — winning 1,400+ council seats and 14 councils while Labour haemorrhaged nearly 1,500 seats and lost its grip on Wales. With Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan resigning and MPs calling on Keir Starmer to quit, Britain's two-party dominance faces its most serious challenge in decades.
Key Takeaways
Labour lost nearly 1,500 council seats in England and surrendered control of around 40 local councils , including traditional strongholds.
Reform UK gained more than 1,400 council seats and took control of 14 local councils .
In Wales , Labour secured only 9 seats in the 96-seat Welsh Parliament ; Plaid Cymru became the largest party with 43 seats .
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her seat and resigned as leader of Welsh Labour .
In Scotland , Reform UK won 17 seats , drawing level with Labour, while the SNP held 58 seats .
PM Keir Starmer acknowledged results were "tough" but insisted he would not resign.
Britain's ruling Labour Party suffered sweeping losses in local elections held on Thursday, shedding nearly 1,500 council seats in England and surrendering control of around 40 local councils, including several traditional strongholds. Meanwhile, the insurgent Reform UK party emerged as one of the night's biggest winners, gaining more than 1,400 council seats and seizing control of 14 local councils across the country.
Scale of Labour's Losses
Across approximately 5,000 council seats in 136 English councils, Labour's collapse was historic in scale. The party lost dozens of councils it had held for years, many in areas considered safe territory. In Wales, the rout was particularly severe — Labour secured only nine seats in the expanded 96-seat Welsh Parliament, a historic setback for a party that has dominated Welsh politics for decades.
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her own seat on Friday and subsequently announced her resignation as leader of Welsh Labour. Plaid Cymru became the largest party in the Welsh Parliament with 43 seats, followed by Reform UK with 34 seats.
Reform UK's Historic Gains
Reform UK recorded what its leader described as a transformational night, winning council seats and control of local governments in areas that had long backed either Labour or the Conservatives. In Scotland, Reform UK won 17 seats in the 129-seat Scottish Parliament, drawing level with Labour, while the Scottish National Party (SNP) remained the largest force with 58 seats, though short of a majority.
Speaking in Essex following his party's victories, Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage said the results reflected
Point of View
And its 34 seats in Wales and 17 in Scotland suggest its appeal has broken out of its English heartland. Labour's collapse in Wales is especially damning: this is a devolved nation where the party has governed almost without interruption since 1999. Keir Starmer's refusal to resign buys him time, but the growing internal revolt suggests his authority is already hollowed out. The Conservatives, who also lost 500+ seats, face an existential question about whether Reform UK has permanently displaced them as the vehicle for centre-right and populist-right voters.
NationPress
11 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many council seats did Labour lose in the British local elections?
Labour lost nearly 1,500 council seats in England and surrendered control of around 40 local councils, including several traditional strongholds. The party also suffered a historic collapse in Wales, winning only nine seats in the Welsh Parliament.
How many seats did Reform UK win in the local elections?
Reform UK gained more than 1,400 council seats in England and took control of 14 local councils. The party also won 17 seats in the Scottish Parliament and 34 seats in the Welsh Parliament, emerging as one of the biggest winners of the night.
Why did Eluned Morgan resign?
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan resigned as leader of Welsh Labour after losing her own parliamentary seat in the elections. Labour's performance in Wales was described as historic in its severity, with the party securing only nine seats in the 96-seat Welsh Parliament.
What did Keir Starmer say about the election results?
Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged the results were "tough" and said it was "really important that we reflect and respond when the electorate sends a message like that." He insisted he would not resign, saying he was "not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos."
Which party is now the largest in the Welsh Parliament?
Plaid Cymru became the largest party in the Welsh Parliament with 43 seats, followed by Reform UK with 34 seats, after Labour's historic collapse to just nine seats.
