Reform UK Make Major Gains As Labour Faces ‘Worst Local Elections Result This Century’

As expected, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has quickly emerged as the big winner in the local elections, picking up more than 350 seats on the first 40 councils to declare.

Meanwhile, Labour is on course to lose about three-quarters of its council seats following a surge in support for Farage’s populist party.

Here’s how it’s looking so far at time of writing…

Labour 253 councillors (-258)

Reform 384 (+382)

Lib Dem 241 (+35)

Conservative 250 (-158)

Green 51 (+27)

Independents and other 20 (-16)

Keir Starmer is counting major losses in traditional Labour-supporting areas, including Tameside, Hartlepool and Wigan, as well as losing control of Westminster City Council.

Farage has said the early results are exceeding all his expectations, calling it a day of “historic change in British politics”.

At this rate, it seems Reform UK is well on course to win the next U.K. general election in 2029, with Prime Minister Nigel Farage at the helm.

Obviously a lot can happen between now and 2029, but this is the shape things are currently taking, if the local elections are any indication.

How did Reform pull this off? Well, it appears voters want a party that’s going to take a hardline stance on immigration. It doesn’t matter whether they’re right or wrong about it – the people of the UK clearly feel very strongly about immigration being a problem and they want a party what’s going to act on that.

If this sentiment remains into 2029, it’s hard to see anything but a very easy win for Reform, who will no doubt continue to make the right noises about what they will do on immigration.

Funny thing is we currently have the harshest immigration policy in UK history with net migration falling -50% roughly year on year. Maybe voters feel that isn’t enough? Or maybe it’s more about tribal politics than anything else.

More local elections results from around the U.K. will roll in throughout the day, with Labour expecting further losses and Reform expecting further gains. This means increased pressure on Keir Starmer to pack his bags and call it day early.

Starmer is defiant, saying: “It hurts, and it should hurt, and I take responsibility. Tough days like this don’t weaken my resolve to deliver the change that I promised. They strengthen my resolve”

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy backs the prime minister, saying: “You don’t change the pilot during the flight.”

For Farage’s plan to open migrant detention centres in areas that vote for the Green Party, click HERE. What a troll.