Sir Keir Starmer is fighting to remain in his job today as he faces mounting pressure from the backbenches to resign after Labour were hammered in the local elections.
He vowed not to resign and promised to set out the ‘convictions and values that drive me’ in the coming days, as he said he would bring more ‘hope’ to government.
More than 30 Labour MPs have so far called on him to either stand down or set a timetable for his departure.
In an attempt to relaunch his Premiership today, Sir Keir met with ex-Labour leader Gordon Brown at Downing Street.
He has also offered Baroness Harriet Harman a new job as his adviser on women and girls. She too was photographed leaving Number 10 this morning.
Labour has so far lost more than 1,300 seats in Thursday’s elections – with a small number of councils in England still yet to declare.
Sir Keir’s party also suffered a historic defeat in Wales where they lost power to Plaid Cymru after 27 years.
Follow live updates and reaction from the 2026 UK local election results below.
PM vows to set out the ‘path ahead’ in coming days
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to carry on in the wake of disastrous local election results.
The PM has faced calls to resign with more than 30 of his own MPs saying he should step down.
However, in a post on X this afternoon he said:
Four more councils to go…
With Lambeth declaring a Labour loss this afternoon, there are now just four English councils left to announce their results.
These are:
- Croydon
- Lewisham
- Tower Hamlets
- Bradford
Labour loses control of Lambeth council
Labour has lost control of Lambeth council, pushing the party out of power in the London borough for the first time since 2006.
The party won 26 of the 63 seats in the face of a Green Party surge to take 29 seats, becoming the largest party, with Liberal Democrats on eight.
The result means Lambeth is the eighth London council previously run by Labour moving to no overall control.
Two other Labour-controlled London boroughs have been won by the Green Party, Hackney and Waltham Forest, while Westminster was taken by the Conservatives.
The Greens previously had just four seats in Lambeth, with Labour on 54.
IN PICTURES: Plaid Cymru celebrates election results in Wales
Rhun ap Iorwerth has said Plaid Cymru will seek to form a minority Government in Wales, as he spoke outside the Senedd after a historic election.
The Plaid Cymru leader hailed a ‘new beginning’ for Wales and said no Prime Minister ‘can cast Wales aside or turn a blind eye to our needs’ in a victory speech on the steps of the Welsh Parliament.
Plaid won the largest bloc in the Senedd, but fell short of a majority with 43 MSs.
Mr ap Iorwerth told reporters he ‘made it clear that my desire, were we able to, would be to form a minority government’ during the election campaign.
He added it was ‘clear now we are in that position’.
Interim leader of Welsh Labour is announced
Ken Skates has been appointed the interim leader of Welsh Labour.
Baroness Eluned Morgan resigned from the role on Friday after losing her seat in the Senedd.
Mr Skates will serve as leader until a timetable is set for a full leadership election, the party said.
He said: ‘Today is just the beginning of a process that will help us to understand what we got wrong. Because we did get it wrong.
‘There is no reading of this result that endorses every action we have taken as a party and our task now is to take the time needed and to work out what has happened.
‘It is a task that will require every single one of us to take part in – every member, every councillor, every MS, MP, Lord and all roles in between.
‘But it is not a task that is beyond us.’
Breaking:Labour set to lose Lambeth Council
Labour is set to lose its control of Lambeth council in London.
While the results are still coming in, there are no longer enough seats for it to hold the local authority.
Labour has been in control of Lambeth council since 2006.
While Andy Burnham was being touted as a future PM following Labour’s disastrous election results…he was playing football
Andy Burnham has widely been touted as the next Prime Minister after Labour’s disastrous performance in the local elections.
And while the corridors of Westminster were alive with speculation about whether Sir Keir Starmer was going to step down and who might replace him, the Greater Manchester mayor was playing football.
He was pictured last night pulling on his boots to take part in a charity football match at FC United.
The Mayor, an Everton fan, is lining up for the homeless charity Booth Centre as they take on ‘The Rest of the World’ at Broadhurst Park in Moston.
He was seen with his kit bag in hand as he was ushered in through the back entrance of the ground.
IN PICTURES: Downing Street clean up after PM meeting
Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman attended Downing Street earlier to meet the Prime Minister.
The pair were offered new top jobs as Sir Keir Starmer attempts to reset after a disastrous set of local election results.
Both were pictured posing for photographs outside Number 10 at the end of the visit.
Swinney vows to make Scottish parliament ‘Farage-proofed’
John Swinney has not ruled out pushing for a second independence referendum as he said it is vital to ensure the Scottish Parliament is ‘Farage-proofed’.
He said:
There are now more pro-independence MSPs than at any time in the history of the Scottish Parliament. The way forward on this must be made in Scotland, the results across the UK made clear why the need for independence is so urgent.
Nigel Farage is now galloping towards Downing Street and the prospect of a Reform-led government is more likely than not. The UK may well soon have a prime minister who is openly hostile to minority groups, who has called for the privatisation of the NHS and the abolition of the Scottish Parliament.
It is vital that we unite in Scotland to ensure our parliament is fully Farage-proofed. That means having the power before 2029 to decide our own constitutional future without Farage being able to block us.
Swinney claims Scotland voted for pro-independence ‘by a landslide’ – despite not achieving a majority
First Minister of Scotland John Swinney said people have voted for pro-independence ‘by a landslide’ – despite not achieving a majority.
His party won 58 seats on Friday, a drop from the 64 MSPs elected for the party in 2021.
Mr Swinney had set his goal at winning an overall majority at Holyrood, saying that would provide a renewed mandate for a push for Scottish independence.
‘The people have now spoken,’ Mr Swinney said. ‘The SNP has won the Scottish Parliament election, and we have won it emphatically.
‘The people have voted for a government that is on Scotland’s side, and they have voted by a landslide for a pro-independence government.’
He added: ‘We’ve also won a higher share of the vote than Keir Starmer did across the United Kingdom in 2024, an election widely described as a landslide.’
WATCH: Keir hands Gordon Brown top job as he scrambles for party reset
Sir Keir Starmer gave a job to former prime minister Gordon Brown as he sought to shore up his position following Labour’s electoral drubbing.
Mr Brown will be the Prime Minister’s special envoy on global finance, helping forge international co-operation, including with the European Union.
The Prime Minister also appointed former deputy Labour leader Baroness Harriet Harman as his adviser on women and girls.
The decision to offer unpaid, part-time roles to two of the biggest names from the last Labour government comes after Sir Keir suffered a disastrous set of election results in Wales, Scotland and English councils.
Breaking:Plaid Cymru ‘will lead minority government’ in Wales
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has said his party will seek to form a minority government in Wales, as he spoke to reporters outside the Senedd in Cardiff.
He added the party would reach out to other Senedd members for support on an issue-by-issue basis.
I have tried to make it as clear as I can throughout the course of the campaign, and prior to that, that I am somebody who always seeks to work within the spirit of co-operation.
I made it clear that my desire, if we were able to, would be to form a minority Plaid Cymru government.
