By Lucas Taylor | May 8, 2026
Labour has suffered significant losses across England, Scotland and Wales. Reform UK has swept up seats, the Conservatives have performed better than expected, the Liberal Democrats have continued their recent streak, and the Greens have massively underperformed.
While the Prime Minister remains in Chequers under radio silence, leaving ministers and MPs to face the media, Labour is losing ground across England. The party’s leaders in Newcastle and Sunderland have lost their seats, and Labour has seen its position weaken in its northern heartlands and in London, where the Conservatives have taken control of Westminster. The party has lost all 20 seats in Wigan and the Hackney mayoralty to the Green Party. Keir Starmer has accepted full responsibility but is committed to staying on, saying he will not “walk away and plunge the country into chaos.” His stance has drawn calls for resignation from John McDonnell, Diane Abbott and Ian Lavery.
While Zack Polanski has claimed “the two-party system is dead,” the Greens have recorded only a minor net gain. They have lost 30 per cent of the seats they were defending, as core voters have abandoned the party. Its positioning, with claims that “Palestine is on the ballot” and “no state has a right to exist,” has caused concern. Polanski’s popularity rating had already fallen just before the 7 May elections, raising questions about whether he represents the next major figure on the left.
Reform UK has disrupted UK politics at the expense of both Labour and the Conservatives. The party has won its first London borough and taken control in Essex, Suffolk and Newcastle-under-Lyme. It has matched Boris Johnson’s record in breaking Labour’s “Red Wall,” ending a decade of dominance in those areas. Reform has won over 1,000 councillors, contributing to many hung councils. Zia Yusuf posted that people “aren’t laughing now.” The party has even broken through in core socialist areas of Liverpool, where Nigel Farage was campaigning only a few weeks ago.
The Conservatives, despite losing more than 400 seats, have secured notable victories, including Westminster and Wandsworth councils. Kemi Badenoch has described the results as part of the party’s long-term “comeback” plan, noting that the Conservatives have done better than many predictions suggested.
Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats have recorded notable successes in their target seats, although their progress has been limited by Reform. The party has ended long periods of no overall control in Portsmouth and Stockport, and has achieved total dominance in Richmond upon Thames, winning all 54 seats.
There are also signs of growing sectarian politics. Sectarian Watch has reported that 50 sectarian-style candidates have been elected so far, many on international and religious issues.
In Wales, voters have clearly signalled that it is time for Labour to go. The party conceded before final results were in, admitting it would not be forming the next government. First Minister Eluned Morgan is likely to lose her own seat and has announced she is stepping down as Welsh Labour leader, taking “full responsibility” for the losses. This marks the end of Labour’s 27-year run in the Senedd and paves the way for Wales’s first-ever non-Labour government. Plaid Cymru is in a close battle with Reform UK, which has broken into former Labour heartlands and topped the poll in Casnewydd Islwyn, where its leader Dan Thomas was elected.
The SNP has claimed victory but remains just under the 65 seats needed for a majority, continuing its 19 years in power at Holyrood. The Scottish Greens have gained Nicola Sturgeon’s old seat of Glasgow Southside and are set to make further gains. Scottish Labour has seen modest improvements in some areas, while on the right, Reform UK is challenging the Conservatives for third place.
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