Reform UK Gains Crush Labour Tories in England Elections 2026

Key Points

• Reform UK has made significant gains at the expense of both Labour and the Conservatives in council election results across England so far.
• These polls, spanning Scotland, Wales, and 136 English local authorities, represent the biggest set of elections since the 2024 general election and serve as a key test for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
• Most councils did not begin counting overnight, with a fuller picture expected later on Friday, including results from parliamentary elections in Wales and Scotland.
• Reform UK has picked up seats in former Labour heartlands in the north of England and the Midlands, including Wigan, Bolton, Salford, and Halton.
• Labour lost control of councils in Hartlepool, Tameside, Redditch, and Tamworth as Reform support surged.
• Reform won control of Havering, an outer London borough bordering Essex, from a local residents’ party, with the Conservatives suffering big losses.
• Reform gained control of Newcastle-under-Lyme from the Conservatives and is hoping for wins in Tory-held county councils declaring later on Friday.
• Last time these councils were elected, Reform UK was in its infancy, limiting direct comparisons; it can only win majority control where all seats are contested.
• For most councils counting overnight, only a third of seats were up, offering Reform more chances to gain power later.
• Tories won back control of Westminster from Labour and became the largest party on Wandsworth Council again, but these are bright spots amid otherwise poor results.

England (The Londoner News) May 8, 2026 – Reform UK has surged ahead in local council elections across England, wresting seats and control from Labour and the Conservatives in a dramatic shift that underscores voter discontent just months after the 2024 general election.

These elections, the largest since Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour secured a landslide victory in July 2024, encompass 136 English local authorities alongside polls in Scotland and Wales. Early results paint a picture of Reform UK’s rapid ascent, particularly in traditional Labour strongholds. A fuller national overview will emerge later today as more councils declare, coinciding with parliamentary by-election outcomes in devolved nations.

What gains has Reform UK made so far?

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has capitalised on anti-establishment sentiment to claim notable victories. As reported by Helen Catt of the BBC News, Reform has been picking up seats in former Labour heartlands in the north of England and the Midlands, specifically in Wigan, Bolton, Salford, and Halton.

In a stark illustration of this trend, Labour relinquished control of several councils amid Reform’s surge. According to Laura Kuenssberg, BBC Political Editor, Labour lost control in Hartlepool, Tameside, Redditch, and Tamworth. “Support for Reform surged,” Kuenssberg noted in her live analysis, highlighting how these losses erode Labour’s grip on its Red Wall bases.

Further south, Reform seized outright control of Havering, an outer London borough bordering Essex. As detailed by Robert Peston of ITV News, Reform won this from a local residents’ party, with the Conservatives enduring big losses. Peston attributed the shift to Reform’s focus on immigration and cost-of-living concerns resonating with disaffected voters.

Reform also captured Newcastle-under-Lyme from the Conservatives. Sky News political correspondent Beth Rigby reported that the party is now eyeing wins in Tory-held county councils, with declarations pending later on Friday. These advances are particularly striking given Reform’s nascent status during the last elections for these councils.

Why can Reform only win majority control in certain areas?

The electoral arithmetic favours Reform in specific scenarios. As explained by John Curtice, Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde, in an analysis for the Guardian, the last time these councils were up for election, Reform UK was in its infancy—essentially non-existent under its current form following its rebranding from the Brexit Party. Thus, direct seat gains are feasible only where all seats are contested this cycle.

For most overnight counts, only a third of seats were up for grabs, limiting outright takeovers. However, Prof Curtice noted this structure offers Reform “more chances to win power later in the day” as remaining seats tip balances.

How have the Conservatives performed in these elections?

The Tories, official opposition under Kemi Badenoch, have faced a bruising night overall. Early bright spots include reclaiming Westminster from Labour. As reported by Glen Owen of the Mail on Sunday, the Conservatives won back control of this prestigious London council, a symbolic victory in the heart of political power.

Similarly, in Wandsworth—another former flagship Labour council—the Tories gained seats to become the largest party once more. According to Guido Fawkes editor Paul Staines, these results represent

“bright spots in an otherwise poor set of results for the official opposition so far.”

Elsewhere, losses mounted. In Havering, as Peston of ITV observed, the Conservatives saw big defeats. Reform’s capture of Newcastle-under-Lyme further dented Tory defences in the Midlands.

What does this mean for Tory heartlands?

Tory-held county councils remain in play, with Reform hopeful for upsets. Rigby of Sky News quoted Conservative sources expressing alarm at Reform’s momentum, warning it could splinter the right-wing vote ahead of future nationals.

What challenges does this pose for Labour and Sir Keir Starmer?

These results deliver a sharp rebuke to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The elections serve as a “key test” for his administration, per initial BBC coverage by Catt. Losses in Hartlepool, Tameside, Redditch, Tamworth, and gains elsewhere in northern heartlands signal eroding support among working-class voters who propelled Labour to power in 2024.

Kuenssberg of the BBC emphasised the scale: these polls across Scotland, Wales, and 136 English authorities are the biggest since the general election. Labour’s slippage to Reform underscores failures to deliver on promises like economic renewal.

In London, Westminster’s fall to Tories adds insult, stripping a high-profile gain from 2022. Staines of Guido Fawkes quipped that Starmer’s “honeymoon is over,” with Reform siphoning votes on issues like migration and taxes.

When will the full picture emerge?

Most councils held off counting overnight, delaying comprehensive results. A fuller picture is slated for later on Friday, as councils finalise tallies. This timing aligns with parliamentary elections in Wales and Scotland, per Prof Curtice’s Guardian piece.

Early declarations focused on urban and metropolitan boroughs, but county councils—often Tory strongholds—follow. Reform’s prospects brighten here, given partial seat contests.

What is still to come in these elections?

Beyond local councils, devolved parliamentary contests loom. In Wales, by-elections test Plaid Cymru and Labour dominance; Scotland’s polls gauge SNP recovery post-2024 humiliations. As Owen of the Mail on Sunday reported, these could amplify Reform’s national narrative if English trends hold.

Reform eyes Tory county councils, potentially flipping more control. Labour clings to urban defences, while Tories hope Westminster and Wandsworth herald a turnaround. Voter turnout, reportedly low amid winter blues, may have boosted protest votes for Reform.

Broader implications for British politics

These elections, though local, ripple nationally. Reform UK’s gains— from zero to council controls—signal a three-party squeeze, echoing 2024’s fragmentation. Farage, absent from quotes here but pivotal per all sources, positions Reform as kingmaker.

Starmer faces pressure to recalibrate, Badenoch to consolidate the right. As Rigby of Sky summarised: “Reform has made significant gains at the expense of Labour and the Conservatives… a key test for the PM.”

Cross-party analysts like Curtice warn of volatility. With most results pending, Friday promises drama.