First election results are in!

Twiglets1 · 2026-05-07T23:49:12+00:00

First seat result of the night: Reform beat Conservatives in Brentwood. (remember this is just one seat - not the result of the council). Second result: Reform have taken a seat from Labour in Chorley.

namechangingeasy · 08/05/2026 21:16

1dayatatime · 08/05/2026 20:46

Rather than be sad or dismiss Reform voters, have a think about why they are attracting so much support.

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I know why they are attracting support in my area. There are few jobs, the city centre is run down, levelling up didn’t happen under the conservatives and nothing has changed with Labour. Since the mines closed there has been a big decline.
The population are poorer than average for England, with lower life expectancy especially in a few areas.

There is some resentment of immigrants and lots of England flags appeared on lampposts when the protests happened and a lot are still there.

My sadness is that Reform promised change and it just won’t happen, or won’t be for better. Also as someone British but not white I’m sad that for a small minority the vote really was just they want “the immigrants” out.

1dayatatime · 08/05/2026 20:46

SleepingStandingUp · 08/05/2026 18:20

our whole town is up for re-election and it's overwhelmingly reform. I'm overwhelmingly sad

Rather than be sad or dismiss Reform voters, have a think about why they are attracting so much support.

Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 19:10

With 109 of 136 councils in England declared so far, this is how it’s looking at the moment:

Labour 24 (lost 23 councils and 1,045 councillors)

Lib Dem’s 13 (gained one new council- Portsmouth- & a further 88 councillors)

Reform 10 (gained 10 councils & a further 1,196 councillors)

Conservative 8 (lost 6 councils & 466 councillors)

Green Party 3 (gained 3 councils & a further 269 councillors)

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namechangingeasy · 08/05/2026 18:46

SleepingStandingUp · 08/05/2026 18:20

our whole town is up for re-election and it's overwhelmingly reform. I'm overwhelmingly sad

Me too.

Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 18:25

SleepingStandingUp · 08/05/2026 18:20

our whole town is up for re-election and it's overwhelmingly reform. I'm overwhelmingly sad

I’m surprised by how well Reform are doing in these local elections. I knew they were expected to make gains at the expense of Labour & the Conservatives (to a lesser degree), but this is more than I imagined.

My local town has stayed Labour so maybe I have been a bit unaware of the depth of feeling in other town’s & cities 🤷🏼‍♀️

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SleepingStandingUp · 08/05/2026 18:20

our whole town is up for re-election and it's overwhelmingly reform. I'm overwhelmingly sad

Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 18:19

Labour loses Sunderland for the first time - Reform gains control of the Red Wall stronghold by securing 39 seats.

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Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 18:12

BBC summary:

• Plaid Cymru will be the largest party in the Welsh Parliament - but will fall short of a majority BBC forecasts
• It leaves Labour facing a historic defeat after 27 years in power; First Minister Eluned Morgan loses her seat
• In Scotland, the BBC projects the SNP will win the most seats in the Scottish parliament, but also fall short of a majority.

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Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 18:03

The Green Party takes control of the first council (Norwich).

Norwich had been under no overall control, with Labour narrowly the biggest party on 19 seats and the Greens on 16.

Meanwhile, Reform takes Gateshead and Barnsley from Labour.

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Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 17:58

The Green Party has won the second mayoralty in Lewisham, South East London.

Labour has clung onto its mayoralty in the London borough of Newham, despite fierce opposition from Independents.

The Labour leader of Camden council has lost his seat to the Green Party, in a significant result in Keir Starmer’s backyard.

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mumofoneAloneandwell · 08/05/2026 17:35

Wrong thread

Applewisp · 08/05/2026 17:34

Wizeman · 08/05/2026 10:10

Brilliant to see the silent majority showing they want Reform. I think its great for green voters, as they will get imigration centre's in there local areas as they wanted. Its a win for everyone in the uk, maybe not for all those on mumsnet 😂😂😂😂

100% agree. Only to add that Rupert Lowe is our man more than Nigel. Hopefully Restore Britain is ready to run by the time the general election comes around!

Applewisp · 08/05/2026 17:32

Nearly 1,000 seats won by Reform now. Good show! Can’t wait until Restore Britain is ready to run in the general election! Time to turn things around.

Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 15:01

The Conservative Party has lost control of Suffolk council to Reform.

Though votes are still being counted, Reform has gained 37 councillors - securing the majority needed to hold the council.

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Wolmando · 08/05/2026 12:23

Senescence · 08/05/2026 01:22

Ahhhh, another opportunity for the public to demonstrate how utterly stupid it is. Goody.

Aren't you the public as well.

Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 12:19

Reform has won control of Essex county council.

In other news, Zoe Garbutt has won the Hackney Mayoral election for the Green Party. This is a major blow to Labour who normally dominate in Hackney.

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Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 10:41

ProudAmberTurtle · 08/05/2026 10:17

Am seeing some Labour MPs on TV this morning saying everything is going really well, we're doing a very good job and we need to do more of it.

They're the most unpopular government in history now.

They haven't got a clue how unpopular they are or why they're so unpopular.

Really? Sounds overly optimistic to put it mildly.

I’ve not seen any TV this morning as on a journey but that sounds a bit delusional.

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ProudAmberTurtle · 08/05/2026 10:17

Am seeing some Labour MPs on TV this morning saying everything is going really well, we're doing a very good job and we need to do more of it.

They're the most unpopular government in history now.

They haven't got a clue how unpopular they are or why they're so unpopular.

Wizeman · 08/05/2026 10:10

Brilliant to see the silent majority showing they want Reform. I think its great for green voters, as they will get imigration centre's in there local areas as they wanted. Its a win for everyone in the uk, maybe not for all those on mumsnet 😂😂😂😂

1dayatatime · 08/05/2026 10:01

Senescence · 08/05/2026 01:22

Ahhhh, another opportunity for the public to demonstrate how utterly stupid it is. Goody.

Hmmm - as a general rule dismissing people who vote for a party (who you dislike) as stupid simply demonstrates greater level of stupidly.

Whereas understanding the reasons why someone votes for a party (that you dislike) and then addressing them or explaining them demonstrates a greater level of intelligence.

ProudAmberTurtle · 08/05/2026 09:37

I heard someone say that Labour did well because they held on to Wigan Council.

Labour lost every single seat in Wigan but because only a third of the seats were up for grabs they were able to cling on!

Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 09:33

Reform take their first London council - Havering.

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Original poster

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 08:51

Starmer says he “takes responsibility” for early Labour losses in English council results. Meanwhile, counting is due to begin in Scotland and Wales from 9am …

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Another2Cats · 08/05/2026 07:38

I think that in some cases, the national headlines overlook what is going on at a more granular level, eg which party is winning a particular seat against which party was defending it.

I live in a very multicultural city (at the time of the 2021 Census, around 28% of the inhabitants of this city had been born abroad and immigrated to this country) which is also a very marginal parliamentary seat - the MP has regularly swapped backwards and forwards between Labour and Conservatives.

A third of the seats were up for election.

Overall, the Conservatives had the most gains, but they also had the most losses.

The Conservatives won six seats (two from Independents, two from Labour and one each from the LibDems and Greens) but also lost three seats to Reform and one to the LibDems.

Reform won four seats (the other one being from an Independent) but didn't win in any Labour seats.

Labour held two seats but lost two to the Conservatives and one to the Greens.

The LibDems held two seats. They also won a seat from the Conservatives and lost a different seat to them.

The Greens won two seats (from Labour and an Independent) but lost one seat to the Conservatives.

.

Overall, a very mixed bag of results.

MelanzaneParmigiana · 08/05/2026 06:53

Twiglets1 · 08/05/2026 06:52

It seemed strange when Westminster switched from Conservative to Labour at the last election as it's such a Tory area.

That was a protest vote - now the electorate are protesting against Labour and back to Conservative!

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😂