LONDON – Early partial outcomes from England’s 2025 local elections have delivered a sharp early warning to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his governing Labour Party, with the party facing significant electoral setbacks and the hard-right Reform UK party, under the leadership of veteran populist politician Nigel Farage, recording major vote gains.
Counting for the nationwide local contests, alongside separate elections for the devolved legislatures of Scotland and Wales, kicked off overnight Thursday, with results continuing to roll in across the full day of Friday. Early counts were concentrated in smaller regional authorities, with full results from major population centers including London, a long-time Labour stronghold, still pending by early Friday.
In the working-class regions of northern England that have historically leaned Labour, Reform UK’s early performance has shaken British political observers: the party has already secured hundreds of local council seats in constituencies including Hartlepool, a result that underscores its growing traction among disillusioned working voters. Farage’s party has positioned itself as a radical right alternative to both major parties in recent years, capitalizing on public frustration over post-Brexit economic stagnation and migration policy to build support.
Political analysts across the UK have framed these local elections as an informal midterm referendum on Starmer’s leadership, less than two years after he won the 2024 general election that brought Labour back to power after 14 years in opposition. Early signs of a heavy Labour defeat have already fueled speculation of internal unrest within the party, with restive backbench lawmakers reportedly preparing to push for a leadership challenge if the final overall result proves catastrophic for Labour.
Even if Starmer manages to fend off an immediate challenge to his leadership, multiple senior political analysts have cast serious doubt on whether he will remain in post to lead the party into the next required national general election, scheduled to take place no later than 2029. The growing speculation has prompted a public intervention from Starmer’s own deputy, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who has urged party factions to stand behind the current leadership, warning that “you don’t change the pilot during the flight.”
As counting continues through Friday, political leaders and observers across the country are waiting to see whether the early grim trends for Labour hold in results from larger, more heavily populated areas, a final outcome that could reshape the trajectory of British politics for the rest of the decade.