Reform UK celebrated a “truly historic day” after it made huge gains in the local elections on Friday.
After winning control of Essex County Council, Nigel Farage said his party “haven’t just crushed the ‘red wall’, we’ve crushed the blue wall as well”.
Labour suffered a crushing defeat in Wales, where first minister Eluned Morgan lost her seat in the Senedd. The party managed to secure just nine seats, while Plaid Cymru became the largest party, with a total of 43 seats.
Ms Morgan’s defeat marked the first time a sitting Welsh leader has lost in an election for the Welsh Parliament.
Labour saw heavy losses in elections in England and Wales. Sir Keir Starmer said earlier he is “hurt” but is “not going to walk away” after Labour lost hundreds of councillor seats, along with control of several councils, in the English local elections.
The party lost much of its grip of historic northern English heartlands with major losses in Tameside, Hartlepool and Wigan.
The Green Party has also enjoyed success, notably winning the Hackney mayoral election, ousting Labour.
Read MoreLocal elections results in full: Live map for every seat across England, Wales and Scotland
Local election results demonstrate ‘fracturing of British politics’, says polling guru John Curtice
Reform on course for general election win, claims triumphant Farage
Key points
- Nigel Farage says today is 'truly historic day'
- The final results for Wales are in and it's disastrous for Labour
- Streeting won't say if Starmer should go
- Wales' first minister loses her seat
- Former loyalist Labour MP calls for Starmer to go
- SNP set to cling on in Scotland but unlikely to have majority
Ministers rally around Starmer after Labour suffers heavy losses
05:30 , Harriette BoucherFollowing a crushing set of election results on Friday, the prime minister is facing calls to resign.
Minister have now come out in support of the prime minister, here is what they are saying:
Chancellor Rachel Reeves: “These are tough election results for Labour and I’m sorry to all of those colleagues who have lost their seats.
“Keir Starmer won a mandate to change our country. We must get on with delivering that mandate - and show how politics can improve people’s lives for the better.”
Housing secretary Steve Reed:
“The last thing the country wants is the Labour Party to talk about the Labour Party.
“The British public don’t want to hear about timelines, backroom deals and navel-gazing. Let’s get on with the job.”
Business secretary Steve Kyle:
“Reversing these results requires a collective effort, not just blaming the boss. We can't do that by turning in on ourselves. We do it by rebuilding faith in Labour's ability to inspire and lead our country.
“Losing our prime minister is the very opposite of that. In the days ahead, we'll set out the ambition we have for a fairer and more prosperous Britain.”
Chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones:
“The election results today have clearly been tough for Labour. I’m sorry that we’ve lost so many brilliant Labour colleagues across the country, and thank them for their service. And I’m sorry that so many voters felt unable to vote Labour at these elections.
“Keir Starmer has taken responsibility and committed all of us to delivering on the mandate the country gave us at the last election. The Labour Party shouldn’t waste a minute of the time we’ve been given to get on with that job. If we turn inwards the public will think we’re walking away from that challenge.”
Recap: London mayor Sadiq Khan issues statement calling for a change of direction for Labour
05:00 , Harriette BoucherLondon mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has issued a lengthy statement calling for a change of direction for Labour where he pointedly did not endorse prime minister Keir Starmer.
Labour has suffered huge losses in London with the Greens taking the mayoralties in Hackney and Lewisham as well as Waltham forest.
The Tories took back Westminster City Council while Reform won Havering.
Sir Sadiq, who is up for re-election in 2028, said: “We’re still waiting for the full picture, but there’s no doubt that these election results are bitterly disappointing for Labour in London.
“Labour is only able to deliver when we win elections, whether that be general, mayoral or local. Losing control of councils in London will limit our ability to serve the public in the way we want.”
He warned that this was not a normal mid term protest vote.
“Mid-term elections can sometimes be difficult for the party in national government, but this is different. These results speak to a far-reaching disillusionment and fracturing in our politics, which cannot be downplayed, spun or dismissed,” the mayor said.
“Labour has lost votes in London to a variety of different parties, but the biggest change has been Labour voters switching to the Greens.
“Many people who voted Labour at the last general election clearly feel angry, disappointed and let down. They want a Labour government to address the cost-of-living crisis while demonstrating the core values the party was established to promote. Too many of the government’s achievements have been overshadowed by basic mistakes and a failure to boldly assert our progressive values.
“Londoners are also frustrated with the slow pace of change and are impatient to see the delivery they were promised. London has been taken for granted for too long. This must change. We need more investment in our public services and infrastructure, which would not only boost the economy and living standards for Londoners, but lead to jobs, wealth and prosperity right across the country.”
Sir Sadiq added: “Without a change in course and an acceleration in delivery, the threat to Labour is existential. We risk a repeat in London, Wales and across England of what happened in Scotland, where we have still not recovered.
“Labour is the only party capable of delivering the change our capital city and country needs, and the only party that can unite progressives and close the door to the darkness and division of Reform. It’s time for us to be bold and show this to be true - before it’s too late.”
Sheila Hancock says she 'can't die when Nigel Farage is prime minister'
04:30 , Harriette BoucherFirst minister: 'Over 100 years of winning in Wales ends'
04:00 , Harriette BoucherEluned Morgan has said it is clear that people are rejecting the Labour party, as she lamented the “catastrophic defeat” it saw on Friday.
“I will be stepping down as leader of the Labour party in Wales,” she told reporters. “Over 100 years of winning in Wales ends today.”
The first minister said there was a need to answer “very serious questions about where we go in the future.
“We have a lot of lessons to learn, it is important that we take the time to reflect on that.
“I was very clear that Keir Starmer was not standing in this election, I am standing, and I am taking responsibility.
“There are clearly lessons for the Labour party locally and nationally.”
Recap: Former loyalist Labour MP calls for Starmer to go
03:30 , David MaddoxStroud Labour MP Simon Opher has called for a change of leader for his party.
Mr Opher had been a loyalist but said that the party could allow Nigel Farage to become PM unless it changed leader.
Speaking to Sky News he described Sir Keir Starmer as “a decent bloke” but warned that voters had been telling him that the party needs to change leader.
He said: “If we go into the next election with him as leader we will get slaughtered” adding “I feel he is holding us back”.
Mr Opher said that a “proper debate” is needed and called for the party to “put its best players on the pitch” including Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.
He said: “We are allowing Reform to come through the middle. For me that would be a disaster allowing Reform to become the government.”
Defiant Starmer vows ‘I will not walk away’ as Labour suffers devastating election losses
03:30 , Harriette Boucher
Defiant Starmer vows ‘I will not walk away’ as Labour suffers devastating losses
Streeting says Starmer has his support in setting out the government moves forward
03:00 , Harriette BoucherWes Streeting said Sir Keir Starmer will “have my support” in setting out how the government will move forward.
The health secretary, who is widely viewed as a potential leadership contender, told reporters at the count for Redbridge Council: “Keir Starmer will be setting out how he will do that as our leader and prime minister.
“He will have my support in doing that, and I’ll continue putting my shoulder to the wheel as the health and social care secretary, who’s getting the NHS back on its feet and making sure it’s fit for the future.”
In the Room: Can Starmer stay 'popular with purpose'?
02:30 , Harriette BoucherFormer Westminster insider Helen MacNamara reflects on the prime minister’s position in The Independent’s In The Room podcast.
Catch the full episode on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts.
'No sugar-coating' Labour's 'extremely bad results, says Streeting
02:00 , Harriette BoucherWes Streeting said there was “no sugar-coating” some “extremely bad results” for Labour.
Asked whether he thought Sir Keir Starmer could turn Labour’s fortunes around, the health secretary told reporters in Redbridge: “There’s no sugar-coating it, across the country, England, Wales and Scotland, we’ve seen some extremely bad results for the Labour Party.”
He added that they had to accept that “the government nationally bears a huge amount of responsibility for good Labour people losing through no fault of their own”.
“On Monday, Keir Starmer will be setting out as our leader and prime minister how he intends to make sure our government still can deliver the change that people voted for at the last general election and still show that politics can be a force for good,” he said.
“Here in Redbridge, I’m really proud of the fact that we’ve bucked the national trend. We will come in, votes still counting but it’s very clear now, we’re going to get a decent majority.”
Transgender candidate who secured seat for Scottish Green Party says this is 'what diversity looks like'
01:30 , Harriette BoucherA transgender candidate who secured one of three seats for the Scottish Green Party on the Edinburgh and Lothians East regional list said their victory in the election was “what diversity looks like”.
Dr Q Manivannan, the first person who identifies as transgender elected to Holyrood, and party colleagues Kate Nevens and Kayleigh Ferguson Kinross-O’Neill were among the seven candidates to secure seats on the list, along with Angela Ross from Reform UK, Irshad Ahmed and Katherine Sangster from the Scottish Labour Party and Scottish Conservative Miles Briggs.
“My name is Dr Q Manivannan, I am a transgender Tamil immigrant, my pronouns are they/them,” Dr Manivannan said as they addressed a crowd of cheering party supporters after the results were announced in Edinburgh.
“I am to some in this country everything that the hateful despise and I am standing here as your MSP now with care. They say politics is the art of the possible, a politics of care I would say expands what is possible for everyone left behind, pushed out or never invited in.”
They added: “This is what diversity looks like in power.”
Watch: Green Party's Zoe Garbett reacts to Hackney mayoral election win
01:00 , Harriette BoucherRecap: Sarwar: 'The Scottish Labour Party is hurting today'
00:30 , Harriette BoucherToday has been “disappointing an difficult” for the Scottish Labour Party, Anas Sarwar has said.
“We made the case for change, but sadly that was not an argument we won in the face of a national wave that we couldn't overcome," the Scottish Labour leader said.
“I want to thank everyone who voted for us - we will continue to fight for you, for communities across Scotland and for the values we believe in."
Sggesting that he has no plan to resign, Sarwar added: "The Scottish Labour Party is hurting today. It is my job to hold our party together. That's what I will do."
How did each party fare in England on Friday?
00:02 , Harriette BoucherWith a handful of councils still expected to declare on Friday night, Reform UK had gained 1,244 councillors and gained 12 councils.
Labour had lost 988 seats, and lost control of 30 councils, while the Conservatives had lost 417 councillors and lost eight councils.
The Greens had gained 259 seats and won control of three councils, while the Liberal Democrats had gained 146 seats and won control of three councils.
Home secretary says 'we must do better' after 'devastating' losses for Labour
23:38 , Harriette BoucherEluned Morgan resigns as First Minister of Wales after failing to win seat
23:30 , Harriette BoucherStreeting won't say if Starmer should go
23:17 , Harriette BoucherWes Streeting has declined to say whether he believes Keir Starmer is the right person to lead Labour into the next general election.
Asked whether he believed Sir Keir was the right person to do so, he told reporters in Redbridge: “Keir Starmer won a general election in 2024 that people thought was absolutely impossible after Labour’s crushing defeat in 2019.
“Now there’s no doubt that with the message that the voters have sent us across England, Wales and Scotland, that the government bears a huge degree of responsibility for good Labour people losing, we have to take that on the chin, we have to respect the voters, and we have to show that Labour can still be the change that people are crying out for, the change that they voted for at the last general election, the change that they’ve demanded through this set of elections.”
Sheila Hancock says she fears dying while Nigel Farage is prime minister
22:55 , Lucy LeesonDame Sheila Hancock said she fears dying while Nigel Farage is prime minister.
The actress appeared on Have I Got News You, in an episode recorded prior to the results of the local elections on Friday (8 May).
Discussing the growing popularity of Farage’s Reform UK party, the 93-year-old said: “I’ve got to the age now where I probably won’t be here much longer and I’m so frightened that I’m going to die when he’s prime minister. I can’t die when Farage is prime minister.”
Reform leader calls opponents ‘disrespectful’ for not staying until end of election count
22:45 , Harriette BoucherReform UK’s Scottish leader called opponents “disrespectful” for not staying until the end of an election count on Friday night.
Speaking in a nearly empty counting hall at the Braehead Arena in Renfrew, Lord Malcolm Offord said he had been disappointed not to win the constituency in which he was running.
Lord Offord finished third in Inverclyde, though he was still elected on the regional list.
With almost all Scottish Parliament seats declared, Reform are vying with Scottish Labour for second place.
Reflecting on his party’s performance in Scotland, Lord Offord said: “Well we’re just behind the curve I think. There’s a whole movement in the UK and Reform has been further ahead in England.
“Two years ago we had something like 5% of the vote, we’ve now got ourselves to 15% plus.
“We’ve got a good bloc of MSPs going to Holyrood, starting on Monday, with one region still to go.”
Comment: Britain has just delivered the mother of all protest votes
22:39 , Harriette BoucherNigel Farage’s Reform UK are the main beneficiary of the country’s never-ending dissatisfaction, so should Labour now tack to the right or to the left? Neither, says Sean O’Grady:
Britain has just delivered the mother of all protest votes
Nigel Farage says Reform is seeing 'historic results' across the country
22:26 , Harriette BoucherLabour keeps control of Camden
22:01 , Harriette BoucherThe Labour Party has maintained overall control of Camden Council, despite a challenge from the Green Party.
Labour won 30 seats out of the 55 on the council, down from 47 at the last election in 2022.
The council takes in Sir Keir Starmer’s Holborn and St Pancras constituency.
Council leader Richard Olszewski lost his seat to the Green Party, after moving wards in the hope of retaining his seat on the council.
However, Mr Olszewski refused to call for Sir Keir Starmer to resign, saying: “We have to weather the storm nationally.”
'People are unhappy with Starmer's leadership', Labour MP says
21:43 , David MaddoxOne of the 2024 intake of Labour MPs has called for Keir Starmer to step aside.
Connor Naismith, Labour MP for Crew and Nantwich, said the results were “existential for the Labour Party” and that the main reason was Keir Starmer.
He told Evan Davis that the public had lost confidence in the PM's leadership: "In terms of my own experience on the door, there is not a single policy or a single issue that is the main driver of this. The main thing that consistently comes back is that people are unhappy with the prime minister's leadership.”
“What I've said is that I think Keir Starmer needs to set out a timetable for his departure. And I think that is actually in the national interest. I think by the party conferences would be a reasonable sort of timetable. Certainly, no more than six months.”
Mr Naismith called for Andy Burnham to be brought back into the parliamentary Labour party.
“We need our best players on the pitch and preferably leading from the front.”
Asked if other MPs shared his view, he said: “I think there is an acknowledgement that Andy commands support from a broad spectrum of the electorate and from a broad spectrum of the labour movement and I think that is something that we need in this moment. The electorate is fracturing and we need to respond to that.”
Transgender candidate who secured seat for Scottish Green Party says this is 'what diversity looks like'
21:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA transgender candidate who secured one of three seats for the Scottish Green Party on the Edinburgh and Lothians East regional list said their victory in the election was “what diversity looks like”.
Dr Q Manivannan, the first person who identifies as transgender elected to Holyrood, and party colleagues Kate Nevens and Kayleigh Ferguson Kinross-O’Neill were among the seven candidates to secure seats on the list, along with Angela Ross from Reform UK, Irshad Ahmed and Katherine Sangster from the Scottish Labour Party and Scottish Conservative Miles Briggs.
“My name is Dr Q Manivannan, I am a transgender Tamil immigrant, my pronouns are they/them,” Dr Manivannan said as they addressed a crowd of cheering party supporters after the results were announced in Edinburgh.
“I am to some in this country everything that the hateful despise and I am standing here as your MSP now with care. They say politics is the art of the possible, a politics of care I would say expands what is possible for everyone left behind, pushed out or never invited in.”
They added: “This is what diversity looks like in power.”
Labour loses Birmingham council after 14 years of leadership
21:29 , Harriette BoucherAfter 14 years of leadership, Labour has lost control of Birmingham council, the UK’s largest local authority.
Results of all constituency seats in Scotland declared
21:25 , Harriette BoucherThe results of all 73 constituency seats in the Scottish Parliament election have been declared, with the SNP holding Uddingston & Bellshill being the final such result.
The SNP won 57 of the 73 constituency seats, while the Scottish Lib Dems won seven, the Scottish Conservatives won four, Scottish Labour won three and the Greens won two.
Watch: Nigel Farage says today is 'truly historic day'
21:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainLeader of Reform UK in Wales pledges to 'put Wales first' after winning seat in Senedd Election
20:59 , Harriette BoucherNigel Farage says today is 'truly historic day'
20:47 , Maryam Zakir-HussainNigel Farage started his speech by saying that today is “truly a historic day”.
The Reform UK leader then said that Sir Keir Starmer “will be gone by the summer” as he went on to call him “the most unpatriotic man” and “worst leader”.
Zia Yusuf says today is 'historic day for Reform UK'
20:42 , Maryam Zakir-HussainReform UK’s Zia Yusuf has started to deliver his speech ahead of Nigel Farage’s appearance.
Mr Yusuf said today is a “historic day” for the Party as Reform has “dominated” in the local elections.
Downing Street has ‘a lot of listening to do’ after election, says Swinney
20:40 , Harriette BoucherJohn Swinney said Downing Street has “a lot of listening to do” as he called for respect between the two governments.
Speaking to the BBC as his party claimed it had “emphatically” won the Holyrood election on Friday, the first minister said relations between the two governments had “soured” through the course of the campaign.
Mr Swinney, who looks set to continue his stay in Bute House, said he was confident there would be a pro-independence majority, including support from the Scottish Greens.
“I’d like to enjoy a more co-operative relationship with the United Kingdom government – we have got to be partners, we have got shared interests,” he said.
“There has been a souring of relationships over the last nine months with the UK government – it’s all been about the politics of the election.
“Now the Labour government has just been hammered in Scotland and I hope that lesson is learned in Downing Street that there’s now got to be respect for the Scottish government exercised by the UK Government.
“So my message to Downing Street tonight is very, very clear – they have got a lot of listening to do to the fact that Labour have been hammered here in Scotland and an SNP government, after 19 years in office, has just been emphatically returned to office, and Scotland needs respect as a consequence of that election outcome.”
Green Party and Reform UK make gains in London as Labour Party suffers
20:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOf the 17 out of 32 London councils which have declared their results, Labour has control of five, Conservatives have four, Liberal Democrats three, the Green Party one, Reform UK one and three councils have no overall control.
Speaking from the Hackney count, Zak Polanski said: “Two-party politics is not just dying, it is dead and it is buried.
“And actually, whether it’s here that Labour have been rejected, or whether we’re seeing around the country, it’s very clear that the new politics is the Green Party versus Reform.”
Nigel Farage to give speech imminently
20:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainNigel Farage said he will speak imminently following Reform UK sweeping success in the local elections today.
Stay tuned as we bring you live updates from his speech.
I will speak live from Essex within the hour to celebrate our big election win. 👏 pic.twitter.com/WV6FYGuyWA
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) May 8, 2026
'We knew this was going to be a tough election', says Scottish Conservative leader
20:20 , Harriette Boucher“We always knew this was going to be a tough election”, Russell Findlay has said on a day that saw his party lose three constituencies in the Holyrood election.
Speaking to journalists at a count at the Braehead Arena in Renfrew, the Scottish Conservative leader said votes for Reform had seen his party lose out to the SNP in a number of close-fought seats.
“What we warned would happen is exactly what has happened,” he said.
“In many seats the Scottish Conservative candidates were beaten by the narrowest of margins, and that’s because people voted for Reform in those seats and let the SNP through the middle.”
Mr Findlay also said it was “really disappointing” to see one-time party leader Jackson Carlaw lose his Eastwood seat to the SNP’s Kirsten Oswald.
Russell Findlay is a candidate in the West of Scotland regional list, which is expected to be declared on Friday evening.
Sarwar: 'The Scottish Labour Party is hurting today'
20:03 , Harriette BoucherToday has been “disappointing an difficult” for the Scottish Labour Party, Anas Sarwar has said.
“We made the case for change, but sadly that was not an argument we won in the face of a national wave that we couldn't overcome," the Scottish Labour leader said.
“I want to thank everyone who voted for us - we will continue to fight for you, for communities across Scotland and for the values we believe in."
And suggesting that he has no plan to resign, Sarwar added: "The Scottish Labour Party is hurting today. It is my job to hold our party together. That's what I will do."
London mayor Sadiq Khan issues statement calling for a change of direction for Labour
19:57 , David MaddoxLondon mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has issued a lengthy statement calling for a change of direction for Labour where he pointedly did not endorse prime minister Keir Starmer.
Labour has suffered huge losses in London with the Greens taking the mayoralties in Hackney and Lewisham as well as Waltham forest.
The Tories took back Westminster City Council while Reform won Havering.
Sir Sadiq, who is up for re-election in 2028, said: “We’re still waiting for the full picture, but there’s no doubt that these election results are bitterly disappointing for Labour in London.
“Labour is only able to deliver when we win elections, whether that be general, mayoral or local. Losing control of councils in London will limit our ability to serve the public in the way we want.”
He warned that this was not a normal mid term protest vote.
“Mid-term elections can sometimes be difficult for the party in national government, but this is different. These results speak to a far-reaching disillusionment and fracturing in our politics, which cannot be downplayed, spun or dismissed,” the mayor said.
“Labour has lost votes in London to a variety of different parties, but the biggest change has been Labour voters switching to the Greens.
“Many people who voted Labour at the last general election clearly feel angry, disappointed and let down. They want a Labour government to address the cost-of-living crisis while demonstrating the core values the party was established to promote. Too many of the government’s achievements have been overshadowed by basic mistakes and a failure to boldly assert our progressive values.
“Londoners are also frustrated with the slow pace of change and are impatient to see the delivery they were promised. London has been taken for granted for too long. This must change. We need more investment in our public services and infrastructure, which would not only boost the economy and living standards for Londoners, but lead to jobs, wealth and prosperity right across the country.”
Sir Sadiq added: “Without a change in course and an acceleration in delivery, the threat to Labour is existential. We risk a repeat in London, Wales and across England of what happened in Scotland, where we have still not recovered.
“Labour is the only party capable of delivering the change our capital city and country needs, and the only party that can unite progressives and close the door to the darkness and division of Reform. It’s time for us to be bold and show this to be true - before it’s too late.”
In the Room: Can Starmer stay 'popular with purpose'?
19:50 , Harriette BoucherFormer Westminster insider Helen MacNamara reflects on the prime minister’s position in The Independent’s In The Room podcast.
Catch the full episode on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts.
John Swinney says SNP has “won emphatically” in the Scottish Parliament election
19:26 , Harriette BoucherWith 70 out of 73 constituencies declared, Mr Swinney’s party has won 55 seats.
Holyrood’s regional list seats will be declared later on Friday evening.
Mr Swinney said: “It is now clear that the SNP has won and we have won emphatically. Living in a democracy is something that all of us should cherish and I would like thank everyone who voted in this election. Once again the people of Scotland have put their trust in us.
“However you voted today, I promise that I will be a First Minister for all of Scotland.”
He continued: “All of us care about our country’s future. I give you my commitment that I will work every day to improve your life and make Scotland the nation we know it can be.”
Plaid Cymru 'stands ready' to form next Welsh governments
19:15 , Harriette BoucherPlaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said his party “stands ready to take the necessary steps to form the next government of Wales” after becoming the largest party in the Senedd.
Analysis: Operation ‘save Keir’ is underway - but some ministers remain silent
19:15 , David MaddoxSigns that the Labour leadership is beginning to panic about Sir Keir Starmer’s ability to hold on has been underlined by a coordinated series of social media posts and interventions by ministers and grandees.
Loyal social media posts pushing back against demands for a timetable for Sir Keir to go have been put out by ministers on masse.
Defence secretary John Healey, chancellor Rachel Reeves, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones, culture secretary Lisa Nandy, tech secretary Liz Kendall, deputy prime minister David Lammy and former deputy leader Margaret Beckett have been among those making loyal interventions.
But there are some notably silent voices.
Health secretary Wes Streeting, home secretary Shabana Mahmood, energy secretary Ed Miliband former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham have not expressed their support.
All of them are seen as potential leadership candidates.
Ministers rally around Starmer after Labour suffers heavy losses
19:04 , Harriette BoucherFollowing a crushing set of election results today, the prime minister is facing calls to resign.
Minister have now come out in support of the prime minister, here is what they are saying:
Chancellor Rachel Reeves: “These are tough election results for Labour and I’m sorry to all of those colleagues who have lost their seats.
“Keir Starmer won a mandate to change our country. We must get on with delivering that mandate - and show how politics can improve people’s lives for the better.”
Housing secretary Steve Reed:
“The last thing the country wants is the Labour Party to talk about the Labour Party.
“The British public don’t want to hear about timelines, backroom deals and navel-gazing. Let’s get on with the job.”
Business secretary Steve Kyle:
“Reversing these results requires a collective effort, not just blaming the boss. We can't do that by turning in on ourselves. We do it by rebuilding faith in Labour's ability to inspire and lead our country.
“Losing our prime minister is the very opposite of that. In the days ahead, we'll set out the ambition we have for a fairer and more prosperous Britain.”
Chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones:
“The election results today have clearly been tough for Labour. I’m sorry that we’ve lost so many brilliant Labour colleagues across the country, and thank them for their service. And I’m sorry that so many voters felt unable to vote Labour at these elections.
“Keir Starmer has taken responsibility and committed all of us to delivering on the mandate the country gave us at the last election. The Labour Party shouldn’t waste a minute of the time we’ve been given to get on with that job. If we turn inwards the public will think we’re walking away from that challenge.”
'Bruising' results must be 'wake-up call' for Labour, says Liverpool City mayor
18:57 , Harriette BoucherThe Labour mayor of Liverpool City Region has said today’s results need to be a “wake-up call”, as he called for the party to return to a movement rooted in working people’s lives.
Steve Rotheram said: “It’s been a bruising set of results for Labour in many parts of the country, and we need to be honest about what that means.
The former MP said his “heart also goes out to the many hardworking Labour candidates and councillors who have lost their seats.
“Many of them will have lost today not because they failed their communities, but because voters are sending a message about issues far beyond the town hall.
“We have to be honest with ourselves about that.
“Labour cannot afford to ignore what these results are telling us. We are haemorrhaging seats in parts of the country and losing support in different directions. Pretending otherwise helps nobody.
“Politics is about listening, learning and adapting when people speak. Today, they have.
“The Labour Party has always been at its best when it has been a movement rooted in working people’s lives, hopes and concerns. That’s where we need to be.”
The Senedd results are disastrous for Labour – but the writing’s been on the wall for months
18:49 , Holly EvansIt did not take an avid political insider to realise that Labour were in serious trouble in Wales and had been for a long time.
Nearly half a million of its three million population are estimated to live in “deep poverty”, while the decline of its industrial base has meant that large parts of the Welsh Valleys suffer with high deprivation, an underperforming education sector and lower income levels.
For over a century, Labour politicians have dominated country-wide elections and have held the Senedd since it was established in 1999. Consecutive leaders in Westminster have never questioned the support they could rely upon in Wales – until today.
For voters in those particular constituencies, the mood has turned from loyalty to anger, with many telling The Independent that nothing had changed in decades, with parties such as Reform UK and Plaid Cymru emerging as serious candidates to win back their trust.
At the Geraint Thomas Velodrome Centre in Newport, the mood among the candidates was bleak. One Labour figure said door-knocking within the local community had been “pretty painful” and that, despite their best efforts, the “writing was on the wall” for months.
One Labour candidate, Chris Carter, told The Independent: “I think the first minister can hold her head high. She led us with a huge amount of energy against some very, very difficult national and international headwinds.”
When asked if Sir Keir’s popularity had been an issue on the doorstep, he said: “Yeah, and I think there’s Welsh Labour and UK Labour, but we are part of the same Labour family – so there are incumbency penalties for both parties.”
In The Room: 'Is Farage our next prime minister?'
18:34 , Harriette BoucherGreen Party takes control of Waltham Forest
18:30 , Harriette BoucherThe Green Party has taken control of Waltham Forest in what will be a huge blow for Labour.
It is the second council the party have taken from Labour after winning Norwich City Council.
Defiant Starmer vows ‘I will not walk away’ as Labour suffers devastating election losses
18:19 , David MaddoxA defiant Keir Starmer insisted he “will not walk away” and has vowed to fight on as Labour leader and prime minister after his party received a pummelling in local elections across the UK.
With Nigel Farage’s Reform taking hundreds of seats in both Labour and Tory heartlands and a surge by the Green Party, the prime minister said he took full responsibility for the defeats, with Labour on course for record losses.
MPs on the left of the party and trade union leaders have demanded he set a timetable for his resignation, but ministers have insisted there would be no attempt to push Sir Keir out.
Meeting Labour activists in London as the results came in, Sir Keir vowed: “I'm not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos.”
Defiant Starmer vows ‘I will not walk away’ as Labour suffers devastating losses
Breaking: Plaid Cymru are largest party in Senedd as final results in
18:18 , Holly EvansThe Welsh elections have come to an end with a resounding victory for Plaid Cymru in Gwynedd Maldwyn as they secure four seats, bringing them to a total of 43.
Reform UK won the other two seats, bringing them to a total of 34 members in the Senedd.
Labour have now fared even worse than predicted, ending with just nine seats.
Labour losses mount in Wales as Rhun ap Iorwerth takes new seat
18:14 , Harriette BoucherWhat could Plaid Cymru do now?
18:13 , Holly EvansWith one final constituency left to declare, it is evident that Plaid Cymru are now the largest party in Wales and their leader Rhun ap Iorwerth is set to become first minister.
However, with BBC forecasting they will end with 42 to 43 seats, they are still several seats short of the 49 seats required to form a majority government.
So what options are now open to the Welsh nationalist party?
1 - Form a coalition government - Plaid Cymru could now be looking at other parties who are the most similarly politically aligned to form a coalition, although they have expressed an unwillingness to do so in recent interviews.
They could seek an alliance with the Greens who currently have two seats, but this would also fail to bring them to the 49 seats required. It has been suggested on several occasions they could form a coalition with Labour, who have nine seats.
Plaid Cymru propped up the Labour government during the last Senedd elections in 2021, yet Mr ap Iorwerth withdrew from this deal in May 2024 after becoming “deeply concerned” with a £200,000 donation to former first minister Vaughan Gething.
2- Form a minority government - In January, Mr ap Iorwerth said it was his party's "wish" to form a minority government made up of only Plaid ministers, instead of a coalition with other parties.
He said the latest opinion poll "confirms what I've felt for a while, which is that we can - if we fight an effective election and build trust with people - lead a minority government and do that successfully".
He said they would look at each issue and policy where it required key votes on a case-by-case basis.
Reform gains nearly 750 seats, taking control of six councils
18:08 , Harriette BoucherWith results in from 90 out of 136 English councils, Reform UK had gained almost 750 seats, and had won more than 800.
The party had taken control of six councils, while Labour had lost more than 460 councillors, and lost control of 15 local authorities.
A disastrous set of results for Labour in Hackney so far
18:05 , Athena StavrouAlmost half of the wards in Hackney have been declared so far - but not a single Labour councillor has been elected.
17 Greens have been won, along with five Conservatives.
There are 36 more to be declared, but this is shaping up to be a disastrous day for Sir Keir Starmer’s party.
Before today, Labour held the majority in the historically safe borough with 43 councillors, while the Greens had only 4.
In pictures: Scottish Greens celebrates wins in Edinburgh Central and Glasgow Southside
18:04 , Harriette Boucher
Leader of Reform UK in Wales pledges to 'put Wales first' after winning seat in Senedd Election
17:57 , Harriette BoucherBreaking: No party will win majority in Wales
17:55 , Holly EvansOnly Gwynedd Maldwyn in north-mid Wales is left to declare their results, with Plaid Cymru so far in the lead.
As of 6pm, they have 39 seats, with Reform UK trailing them in second place with 32 seats and Labour only retaining nine of their seats in the Senedd.
It is now clear that the Welsh nationalist party will be the largest party in Wales, with the BBC estimating they will finish with 42-43 seats, and Reform ending with 34-35.
However, this means that neither party will have achieved the 49 seats needed to form a majority government.
Labour MPs break ranks to call for Keir Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure
17:52 , Kate DevlinA number of Labour MPs have now broken ranks to suggest their leader must go over today’s disastrous election results.
Former cabinet minister Louise Haigh said: “I think what is abundantly clear is that unless the government delivers significant and urgent change, then the prime minister cannot lead us into another election.”
Olivia Blake, the Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam, said the PM “needs to think about his position”.
She told the BBC the party was “kidding ourselves if we think that Keir Starmer will be leading us into the next election. There needs to be a plan now for what comes next”.
“We need an orderly plan,” she told The Independent.
Richard Burgon, leader of the Socialist Campaign Group of left-wing Labour MPs, said: “It is clear that Keir has fought his last election as Labour leader and, deep down, he will know it.”
Former loyalist Simon Opher, the MP for Stroud, warned Labour could allow Nigel Farage to become PM unless it changed leader, adding: “if we go into the next election with him as leader we will get slaughtered”.
And Anneliese Midgley, Labour MP for Knowsley, told the Guardian: "Unless that changes significantly and quickly it's clear the PM can't lead us into another election.”