LONDON (AP) 鈥� Partial results Friday from showed big losses for governing Labour Party and gains for the hard-right party Reform U.K.
The votes are being widely seen as on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he was as voters grew impatient for economic growth and dramatic change after 14 years of Conservative government.
Starmer said he took responsibility for the 鈥渧ery tough鈥� results but would not resign.
鈥淭he voters have sent a message about the pace of change, how they want their lives improved,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was elected to meet those challenges, and I鈥檓 not going to walk away from those challenges and plunge the country into chaos.”
Reform UK, , won hundreds of local council seats in working-class areas in England鈥檚 north such as Hartlepool that once were solid Labour turf, and also made gains from the Conservatives in areas like Havering in east London.
Farage said the results marked 鈥渁n historic change in British politics.鈥�
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 Wales.
Results reflect fragmentation of UK politics
Reform UK, running on an anti-establishment, anti-immigration message, also is eyeing breakthroughs in Scotland and Wales, though pro-independence nationalists the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru are more likely to form governments in Edinburgh and Cardiff.
A Labour rout could trigger moves by restive party lawmakers to oust a leader who 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 2029.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy cautioned the party not to topple the prime minister, saying 鈥測ou don鈥檛 change the pilot during the flight.鈥�
Labour is losing votes to Reform UK on its right, and also to the the , whose popularity has risen under self-described 鈥渆co populist鈥� leader Zack Polanski. The Greens hoped to increase their vote share and win hundreds of council seats in urban centers and university towns.
The Conservative Party is also expected to lose ground, with the centrist Liberal Democrats making some gains.
The results reflect a fragmentation of British politics after decades of domination by Labour and the Conservatives, and make the outcome of the country’s next national election hard to predict.
John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, said Britain is entering a new political era where “none of the parties are very big.
鈥淓ven Reform are probably not quite at 30% of the vote, so the fracturing of British politics is underlined by these results,鈥� he told the BBC.
Starmer’s future is under threat
Starmer鈥檚 popularity has plunged after and U-turns on policies such as welfare reform. His government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair and ease the cost of living 鈥� tasks made harder by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has choked off oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
The prime minister has been further hurt by his disastrous decision to appoint , a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain鈥檚 ambassador to Washington.
Poor election results could trigger a challenge from a high-profile rival such as Health Secretary , former Deputy Prime Minister or Greater Manchester Mayor . Alternately, Starmer could face pressure from the party to set a timetable for his departure after an orderly leadership contest.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think Keir Starmer should survive these results,” said Labour lawmaker Jonathan Brash, who represents Hartlepool in Parliament. 鈥淲e have to be bolder, and we have to go further. And quite frankly, we need new leadership in order to achieve that.鈥�
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