Partial results show losses for Starmer's Labour, wins for Reform UK in local elections

Partial results on Friday from local elections in England showed big losses for Prime Minister Keir Starmers governing Labour Party and gains for the hardright party Reform UKThe votes are being widely seen as an unofficial referendum on Starmer whose popularity has plummeted since he was elected less than two years agoReform UK led by Nigel Farage won hundreds of local council seats in workingclass areas in Englands north such as Hartlepool that once were solid Labour turf The picture will change throughout Friday as results come in from the majority of local councils including Labour strongholds like London Votes will also be counted in contests for semiautonomous parliaments in Scotland and WalesA Labour rout could trigger moves by restive party lawmakers to oust a leader who led them to power in July 2024 Even if Starmer survives for now many analysts doubt he will lead the party into the next national election which must be held by 2029Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy cautioned the party not to topple the prime minister saying You dont change the pilot during the flightThe Green Party also hoped to increase its vote share and win hundreds of council seats in urban centres and university towns The results reflect a fragmentation of British politics after decades of domination by Labour and the ConservativesThe Conservative Party is also expected to lose ground with the centrist Liberal Democrats making some gainsFarage said the results marked an historic change in British politicsReform running on an antiestablishment antiimmigration message is also eyeing breakthroughs in Scotland and Wales though proindependence nationalists the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru are more likely to form governments in Edinburgh and CardiffStarmers popularity has plunged after repeated missteps and Uturns on policies such as welfare reform His government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living tasks made harder by the USIsraeli war with Iran which has choked off oil shipments through the Strait of HormuzThe prime minister has been further hurt by his disastrous decision to appoint Peter Mandelson a scandaltarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein as Britains ambassador to WashingtonPoor election results could trigger a challenge from a highprofile rival such as Health Secretary Wes Streeting former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner or Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham Alternatively Starmer could face pressure from the party to set a timetable for his departure after an orderly leadership contestI dont think Keir Starmer should survive these results Labour lawmaker Jonathan Brash who represents Hartlepool in Parliament said We have to be bolder and we have to go further And quite frankly we need new leadership in order to achieve thatThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever