Local elections 2026: Sweeping Reform gains, deep Labour losses

Welcome to LGC’s minute by minute coverage of an historic set of local council elections which saw Labour suffer deep losses, Reform make sweeping gains, the Conservatives suffer in their traditional county council heartlands, and the Green win their first elected mayors.

7.45pm: As LGC closes its blog for the night, here is the state of play across the country with 113 of 136 councils having declared their results.

According to Sky News, Reform UK has currently won 1,257 seats in these elections, giving them control of 10 councils.

Labour has lost 1,121 councillors and 28 councils.

The Liberal Democrats gained 105 seats and one council.

The Conservatives lost 488 seats, and lost control of six councils.

The Green Party gained 287 seats and three councils.

The number of councils under no overall control currently stands at 54.

7.30pm: Labour has lost control of Southwark LBC following a strong challenge from the Greens. With 57 of the 63 seats declared, Labour lost 21 seats to the Greens.

7.25pm: More London results are coming in. Labour has held Barking & Dagenham LBC; with 42 of the 51 seats declared, it has 33 councillors compared to Reform’s five. The latter had been expected to challenge for control of the council. Labour has held Camden LBC, despite losing 16 seats to a combination of the Greens and Lib Dems. The Greens are on course to win Hackney LBC, following their earlier victory in the mayoral race: with just over half the seats declared, they have gained 21 councillors from Labour. And Labour survived big Green gains in Islington LBC to retain a majority on the council.

7.10pm: It’s a bad day for Labour in Birmingham City Council, where there are reports that its leader of the council is set to lose his seat amid big losses for his party. More here.

6.50pm: Labour has suffered another huge loss to Reform in the North East. The insurgent party gained 38 seats to take control of Gateshead Council, where Labour lost 36 seats to slump into third place behind the Lib Dems. It follows Reform’s landslide in neighbouring Sunderland City Council.

6.35pm: The Conservatives have collapsed in Norfolk CC, losing 52 seats. But Reform UK fell just short of a majority after a rival party endorsed by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe won a series of seats in Great Yarmouth. Read more here.

6.20pm: The Conservatives have lost another county council, with West Sussex CC going into no overall control, with nine seats yet to be declared. As it stands the Liberal Democrats are the largest group with 23 seats but will not be able to gain enough for a majority; neither will the Conservatives, whose 32 losses leave them on 11 seats. Reform UK has so far gained 15 seats and the Green party group has increased from one councillor to seven.

6.15pm: Some more London council results are coming in, with strong gains for the Greens. The party has won its first London borough after making massive gains at Labour’s expense in Waltham Forest LBC. With all but three results declared, the Greens have gained 32 seats, with Labour losing the same number and the Conservatives retaining 11.

Meanwhile, Labour has held Islington LBC despite losing at least 14 seats to the Greens.

6pm: The Conservatives have comfortably retained control of Bromley LBC, despite predictions of a close contest with Reform UK. The incumbents won 35 of the 58 seats, with Labour second on eight and Reform and the Lib Dems in joint third, with six councillors each.

5.55pm: The Green party has won its second elected mayor of the day, with its candidate in Lewisham LBC, Liam Shrivastava, winning 40% of the vote. Labour, which previously held the role, came second with 35%.

And Jason Perry has won re-election as mayor of Croydon LBC following a closely watched race. He received 30.7% of the vote, just one percentage point ahead of Labour’s Rowenna Davis.

5.50pm: Here’s more on Reform’s landslide victory on Sunderland City Council.

4.45pm: Labour has lost control of Worthing BC, which is now under no overall control after the Greens picked up six seats and Reform five. Labour retained just one of the nine seats it was defending.

5.40pm: The Lib Dems have retained their dominance in the block of three councils they control in south west London, winning 44 of the 48 seats in Kingston-upon-Thames RBC’s all out election. It follows the party’s clean sweep of all seats on Richmond LBC, and victory in 51 of the 55 seats in Sutton LBC.

5.30pm: The Greens have won their first council after taking control of Norwich City Council. The party won 11 of the 14 available seats at this election, taking its total to 21, giving it a majority. Labour lost all eight seats it was defending, while Reform UK gained two seats and the Lib Dems have retained their one seat up for election. Earlier today, the Greens won their first directly elected mayor, in Hackney LBC.

5.25pm: This year’s elections are set to see more councils fall under no overall control. In this afternoon’s LGC briefing, head of news Kirsty Weakley examines what that might mean for local government.

5.09pm: Hillingdon LBC is set to remain under a Conservative majority with five seats yet to be declared. So far, the Tories have 30 of the 51 available seats and have gained two. Reform UK has gained one seat and Labour has lost three.

5pm: The Lib Dems have retained control of Winchester City Council with six seats left to be declared. Of the 15 seats up for grabs, Lib Dems has so far won eight, while the Green party has retained its one seat up for election and the Conservative group had lost a seat.

4.45pm: Another impressive result for Reform UK, this time in Essex. The party has won an overwhelming majority on Thurrock Council. In the unitary’s first all-out election, Reform won 45 of the 49 seats. Labour has lost 15 seats, down to just two. The Conservative group is also down to two having lost seven seats. Current council leader Lynn Worrall (Lab) has lost her seat.

4.40pm: Reform is storming to a dramatic victory at Sunderland City Council. The authority has all out elections, and with the results in 60 of the 75 seats declared, Reform has gained 46 seats, while Labour has lost 37 in one of its traditional heartlands.

4.35pm: At the mid-way point in today’s election result declarations, the LGC team takes you through the emerging themes and biggest results in a special episode of The Local Authority podcast. Listen here.

4.30pm: Knowlsey MBC remains under Labour control despite the party losing six seats. Reform gained four seats, while independent candidates gained two.

4.25pm: Reform UK has been left one seat short of a majority on Isle of Wight Council as it gained 19 of the 39 seats. The independent group, which had been leading the unitary in a coalition with the Green party, lost six seats. But the Conservatives faced the biggest shock, losing 16 seats in this all out election to be left with a rump of two.

4.05pm: Sheffield City Council has remained under no overall control, with Reform and the Greens making gains. Labour lost 13 seats and the Lib Dems lost five, although they remain the biggest two groups on the council. Reform picked up 12 seats, and the Greens six.

3.55pm: The third of today’s six mayoral results has come through, with Labour retaining the position in Newham LBC. Forhad Hussain succeeds Rokhsana Fiaz, who served two terms.

3.45pm: Labour has lost its majority on Cambridge City Council which will now be under no overall control. The Green party gained the six seats and Labour lost six, and the former will now be the second largest party on the council.

3.40pm: Labour is set to lose 11 seats on Rochdale MBC but will retain control of the council. With one seat left to declare, Reform UK has gained 12 seats at the met to become the second largest party. The Conservatives will be the third largest group with seven councillors, having lost one seat.

3.35pm: Huntingdonshire DC will remain under no overall control with four seats left to declare. As things stand, the Lib Dems are the largest group on the district with 18 seats, with the Tories on 15 seats. Reform UK has won 10 seats and the Green party has added another member so it will now have two seats.

3.25pm: The Lib Dems have retained the Watford BC mayorality. Incumbent Peter Taylor received 53% of the vote, with Reform second on 18%.

2.21pm: Burnley BC has remained under no overall control despite Reform UK now having the most seats in the council. Reform gained eleven seats taking its total to 12, while independent/other councillors gained three seats, taking the total to 10.

Labour lost seven councillors, with its seats now at 10, while the Lib Dems lost two seats meaning its overall number of seats is six. The Conservatives and the greens both lost two seats with the party’s now having four and three seats respectively.

A total of 15 seats of 45 were up for election.

2.14pm: The leader of the Conservative group on the Local Government Association Kevin Bentley has lost his county seat as Reform took control of his council. Read our story.

2.07pm: Labour has lost control of Hyndburn DC after losing five seats, but still has most councillors at 17. 18 councillors are needed for a majority.

The Conservatives lost four seats, taking its total to eight, while Reform entered the council taking eight seats. Independent/other parties also made an entry into the council with one sat gained, while the Green Party maintained its one seat, neither gaining nor losing any councillors.

A total of 11 seats were up for election for the 35 seat total at Hyndburn.

1.54pm: Reform has won enough seats on Suffolk CC to take control of the county. Counting is ongoing.

1.48pm: Basingstoke & Deane BC remains under no overall control as both Labour and Conservative lost two seats each. Reform UK gained two seats, as did the independent group. The independent group remains the largest party at the district in Hampshire.

1.43pm: Bolton has maintained its no overall control status with Labour losing five seats, leaving the party with 20, while the Conservatives were left with 11 seats after losing four councillors. Reform UK took its total to 10 after gaining nine seats, while the Lib Dems lost one seat taking their total to five as the Greens gained three councillors.

The total number of independent/other sets stands at eleven after two seats were lost.

1.35pm: Welwyn Hatfield stays under no overall control after Labour lost three seats and Reform gained three. Labour remains the largest party on the district with 16 seats overall, followed by the Lib Dems on 15.

1.29pm: The Labour party has lost its majority in Blackburn with Darwen unitary council, dropping 11 seats to 20, while Reform UK has gained nine seats.

The Conservatives lost four seats, leaving the party with five, while individual/other parties gained six seats, taking their total to 17 seats.

The total number of seats needed for a majority for the authority is 26, according to Sky News.

1.17pm: Lib Dems hold two districts. At Cheltenham BC with ten of the 20 seats declared the Lib Dems have nine and Greens one.

South Cambridgeshire had all all-out elections and with 28 of the 45 seats declared they have 27 and the Conservatives have one.

12.49pm: Reform has won enough seats to control Essex CC with counting still underway. Read our story.

12.45pm: Labour has lost its majority at Blackburn with Darwen BC as a cohort of pro-Gaza independents and Reform UK have won seats. It will now be under no overall control. The independent group has so far won seven of the 18 seats up for grabs as has Reform UK. Three seats have not yet been declared.

12.16pm: The results for Gosport BC are finally in, more than seven hours after they were expected. Local news reports this is due to an increase in voter turnout and a shortage of counters. The district remains under no overall control but the minority Lib Dem leadership has been hit by a loss of seven fewer seats. Reform UK won nine of the 14 seats up for election. But despite losing one seat, the Conservatives are now the largest group but only by on more seat than Reform.

12.04pm: The Greens have won their first elected mayor, with a resounding victory in Hackney. Read more here.

12.01pm: Latest from LGC

Reform UK gains two councils

11.30am: Here’s how things stand after 45 of the 136 results for English council have been declared. Labour has 10 councils, down by eight. The Conservatives have six (down one), Lib Dems five (up one), Reform two (up two). 22 councils are under no overall control, up by six.

10.20am: Reform gains mean three mets stay under no overall control. At Bolton MBC the Labour leader lost his seat while at Dudley MBC the Conservatives remain the largest party. At Oldham MBC Labour remains the largest party but is down eight seats.

10.10am: In London the Lib Dems have retained control at Sutton LBC, while the Conservatives defied expectations to hold Bexley LBC as well as retaining Kensington & Chelsea RBC.

10am: Reform has gained its first London borough, Havering. The borough was previously under no overall control.

9.30am: To round-up some of the other results so far this morning, Havant BC stays under no overall control, but Reform gained seven seats. Labour has held Reading BC but lost control at Southampton City Council, Hart BC and Bolton MBC.

8.30am: Conservatives lose majority in Hampshire with the county ending up in no overall control. So far Reform has gained 17 seats and the Conservatives look set to be the largest group.

8am: Read acting editor Martin George’s Briefing about the overnight results.

7.30am: The Conservatives have regained control of Westminster City Council from Labour, and now hold 32 of the 54 seats. That will be the biggest overnight result for the Tories.

6.25am: Reform has gained its first council of the night, winning Newcastle-under-Lyme. It has so far won 24 of the 44 seats on the authority, with six results still to be declared. Labour (down 14) and the Conservatives (down 10) share the losses.

6.15am: Labour has retained a healthy majority on Ealing, winning 46 of the 70 seats. Nevertheless, it lost 13 seats, with the Lib Dems up seven and the Greens up five.

6.05am: In terms of councillor numbers, Reform are currently up 309, the Lib Dems are up 34 and the Greens are up 22. In contrast, Labour is down 229 and the Conservatives are down 114.

5.55am: Labour has lost control of Wandsworth, which is now a hung council. The result in the former flagship Tory borough was on a knife edge, with Tories emerging with 29 councillors (up seven), Labour on 28 (down seven), and a single Independent councillor.

5.50am: Labour has lost its majority on Southampton, which is now under no overall control. With one seat yet to declare, Labour has lost nine seats, with gains by Reform (up seven), the Greens (up four) and the Lib Dems (up two).

5.45am: Labour has held Hammersmith & Fulham, while the Conservatives have held Fareham, winning 11 of the 16 contested seats. Oxford remains under no overall control, with Labour the largest party despite losing five seats to the Greens.

5.40am: Another Essex result: Reform won 11 of the 14 seats contested on Basildon, which remains under no overall control. The council is split three ways, with 12 Labour councillors, 12 Conservative and 11 Reform, as well as seven independents.

And in London, Labour has retained Merton, seeing off Lib Dem hopes to take their fourth London borough.

5.20am: Colchester remains under no overall control. Reform gained five seats, with Labour, the Conservatives and Lib Dems all losing councillors. The Tories are the biggest party on the council with 18 seats, compared with 12 each for the Lib Dems and Labour, and five for Reform.

5.15am: We are still waiting for the outcomes of overnight counts in a number of closely watched races. Westminster and Wandsworth are two former flagship Tory boroughs that Labour gained in 2022. It seems both races are currently very close. The Lib Dems are hoping to gain Merton. Other London boroughs due to declare this morning include Bexley and Havering, both Reform targets.

Hampshire is set to be the first county to declare, with the Tories currently losing seats to the Lib Dems and Reform.

5am: As things stand, Reform have gained 254 seats, the Lib Dems are up 21, Labour is down 186, the Conservatives are down 93, the Greens are up 21 and residents’ associations are down five.

In terms of changes in council control, Labour have lost control of five, the Lib Dems have made a gain of one, and there are four more hung councils.

4.45am: The first result in London, and it’s little surprise that the Lib Dems have held Richmond. But it is still notable that they have won every single one of the 54 seats on the council, with the Greens losing their five councillors and the Conservatives losing their one seat.

4.35am: Elections expert Sir John Curtice tells the BBC there is a “pretty clear broad picture,” saying “however you look at it Reform are in poll position”. He says their vote is relatively evenly spread, and Conservative and Labour seat losses are towards the worse end of what they expected. Meanwhile, he says the Greens are seeing an eight point gain in vote share, but this is not translating into many councillors.

4.20am: More from Essex. Brentwood remains under no overall control. Reform are the big winners, up seven seats; the Conservatives are the biggest losers, down five. There was a similar picture in Southend, which also remains under no overall control, with Reform up eight; Labour and the Tories were down three and four seats respectively.

4.10am: Another big loss for Labour in the North West, as it loses control of Tameside. Again, Reform are the big winners. With all 19 seats that were up for grabs declared, Labour are down 16 and Reform is up 18. Labour remains the largest party on the council.

4am: Labour has lost control of Exeter to no overall control, losing five seats. The Greens gained three, Reform two and the Lib Dems one. The Lib Dems have taken control of Portsmouth, gaining three seats, with Reform gaining five. The Conservatives have held Harlow, gaining five seats, with Labour losing five.

3.50am: The Lib Dems have lost their majority on Hull, but remain the biggest party. Reform gained 10 seats, Labour lost eight and the Lib Dems lost two.

3.40am: Let’s have closer look at Reform gains in some of the councils in the North West that Labour has held. Wigan is the most stark, where Reform won 24 of the 25 seats that were up for election; Labour lost all 22 seats it was defending. There was a similar picture in Halton, where Reform won 16 of the 19 seats being contested. And in Salford, Reform won 13 of the 21 contested seats; Labour were down 13 seats.

3.15am: More council results: The Lib Dems have held Eastleigh; Labour has held Lincoln. The latter saw Reform win four of the 11 seats that were contested, giving them a presence on the council for the first time. Labour’s four seats represented a loss of three.

3.10am: Let’s have a look at the picture in terms of councillor numbers so far. According to the BBC, Reform has gained 150 seats, with Labour losing 104, the Conservatives down 42 and the Lib Dems down three. The Greens have gained 12. Of course, this is still a very early stage of the day, with many areas that are expected to favour the Greens set to declare later in the day.

3am: Essex has been seen as one of the areas to watch for potential big Reform gains. The county council results are not expected until late afternoon, but results so far in Rochford and Southend-on-Sea show Reform performing well. With results still being counted, Reform has won all eight seats to be declared so far in Rochford, taken from the Tories, Lib Dems and the Residents’ Association. And in Southend, Reform has gained six seats.

2.50am: A closer look at two more councils where Labour has lost their majority. In Redditch, nine seats were up for grabs. Reform won eight of these; Labour won one. Meanwhile, in Tamworth, Reform gained all nine seats that were up for election. Both councils are now under no overall control, with Labour the largest party in the council chamber.

2.45am: The Liberal Democrats have won control of Stockport, where they previously had a minority administration.

2.40am: A closer look at the results in Hartlepool, which moved from Labour control to no overall control. A third of the seats were up for election, and Reform UK won all 12 of them, seven from Labour, four from the Conservatives and one Independent. Labour council leader Pamela Hargreaves lost her seat to Reform by almost 700 votes. Overall, Labour and Reform each have 15 members on the council.

2.30am: The first few councils have declared their election results. Labour has lost control of Hartlepool, Redditch and Tamworth, all of which have gone to no overall control. All three are councils where a third of seats were up for election.

Labour has held Halton, Wigan, Salford, Chorley and Plymouth while the Conservatives have held Broxbourne. North East Lincolnshire, Rochford and Peterborough remain under no overall control.