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Daniel Martin Deputy Political Editor |
Sir Keir Starmer’s political future hangs in the balance after a surge in support for Reform UK in the English local elections.
By 7am, Labour had lost control of nine councils, including Angela Rayner’s local borough of Tameside.
So far, more than 190 Labour councillors have lost their seats, white Reform has gained more than 250.
The Conservatives have taken Westminster City Council from Labour, but this is a consolation prize at this stage because they have also had a poor night, losing more than 50 councillors, while the Greens and the Liberal Democrats have made moderate gains.
Amid predictions that Labour could lose more than 1,500 seats in total, one backbencher called on Starmer to lay out plans to leave No 10.
Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash, whose wife lost her seat on the local council, said: “The reality is that we need change at the top of the Labour Party. I think the very best thing the Prime Minister could do now is to address the nation tomorrow to set out a timetable for his departure.”
Reform councillors celebrate a clean sweep in Hartlepool |
Labour no longer has a majority in Exeter, Redditch, Hartlepool, Tamworth and Tameside, where the party lost 16 seats to Reform after running the borough for nearly half a century.
In Wigan, where Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is MP, Labour lost all 22 seats it was defending, and the party only retained control because only a third of wards were up for election.
Follow the latest updates here ➤
PM urged to resign as Labour loses hundreds of seats to Reform ➤
Plus, see how the national picture is shaping up on our live results page here ➤
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Tony Diver Political Editor |
As dawn breaks on this year’s local election results, the early signs of victory for Reform UK are already clear.
A full national picture will not emerge for some hours, and the final tallies will not be declared in some areas for two days.
The anticipated teal surge is already making itself known in the Red Wall, where Labour is trying in vain to hold on to control. Tory losses are almost certain to follow, and sources in both parties are despairing.
For the first time, Britain is about to see what happens when both of the traditional parties go backwards and insurgents mop up their support.
Labour activists looked downcast as results were announced in Havering |
These elections show the realignment of British politics taking place in real time, and foreshadow one of the most fractious and monumental general elections in our country’s history.
In the meantime, all eyes will be on Sir Keir Starmer. The message from his party is clear: turn this around, or let someone else try.
Tony’s full analysis is available only to subscribers.
Continue reading ➤
Go deeper with more of our coverage of the local elections:
• James Frayne: Reform’s surge hammers the final nail in Starmer’s political coffin ➤
• Annabel Denham: It is Nigel Farage who is laughing now ➤ |
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Ambrose Evans-Pritchard Trump’s war with Iran has greatly strengthened the economic and strategic value of Beijing Continue reading ➤
David Frost Forget it, Rejoiners. The EU will never offer terms that Britain can accept Continue reading ➤
Judith Woods What’s gone wrong with Jude Law? Continue reading ➤ |
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Prince William celebrates Aston Villa taking the lead in the tie |
As he turns 100, we celebrate a beacon of trust and unity in a divided landscape, with the unique skill of making people listen |
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Just when a deal looked like it might end the war between the United States and Iran, the two sides traded missile attacks in the Strait of Hormuz last night, writes Connor Stringer, our Chief Washington Correspondent. Donald Trump was quick to downplay the escalation, saying the strikes were “just a love tap” after Iran launched “unprovoked” missile, drone and small boat attacks on three American destroyers transiting the waterway. Just days before a pivotal summit in Beijing, the ceasefire is on the brink and the timing could not be worse.
Continue reading ➤
Go deeper with our full coverage:
• Trump: Iran strikes are just a love tap ➤
• Iran’s hardliners resort to dirty tricks to scupper peace deal ➤ |
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Few places in Ukraine are as dangerous as Kherson’s so-called “red zone”, a mile-deep stretch of shattered cityscape along the front line, writes Adrian Blomfield, our Senior Foreign Correspondent. Yet, amid relentless drone and artillery strikes, life goes on. I encountered an underground world of play, prayer and even jazz during 72 hours in one of the country’s most extraordinary cities. Continue reading ➤ |
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Allegations that a senior female executive at JPMorgan drugged, coerced and sexually abused a vice-president at the firm have gripped Wall Street. The accusations, which include claims of racism, harassment and retaliation, have been denied and are already unravelling into a murky battle over credibility, power and office culture. We have the full story here. Continue reading ➤ |
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Daniel Mays: ‘I underestimated how much playing John Worboys would affect me’ |
Playing John Worboys, the rapist, for ITV1 drama Believe Me had a profound effect on Daniel Mays. He tells Claire Allfree that he needed a “45-minute conversation” with the on-set counsellor each day. It has made him increasingly concerned by the current dialogue around gender: “[My son is] fed all this ‘manosphere’ crap on social media all the time... Andrew Tate often talks about sexual violence. These are the horrors that exist.” Continue reading ➤ |
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When she was a journalist, Holly Watt had a key role in uncovering the expenses scandal |
Volunteering for the Samaritans taught me to spot a liar, writes Holly Watt. I learnt exactly how adrenaline makes a panicked voice go high-pitched and wobbly. Years later, cold-calling 600 MPs about their finances, I heard that exact same fear. I quietly compiled a secret list of the terrified – a list that would eventually put a politician behind bars. Continue reading ➤ |
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The speed of our speech, saying “um” and “ah” more often and using shorter sentences can reveal a lot more about our brain health than forgetting the odd name or word. Read our expert-backed guide to find out whether language changes are just another symptom of old age or a sign of something more serious. For subscribers only ➤ Here’s another useful article for you this morning:
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Joanna Lumley, Lucy Punch, Samuel Anderson and Philippa Dunne return for a second series of Amandaland |
Television Amandaland ★★★★★ “So you post a picture of yourself eating cake and that’s a job?” asked a baffled Joanna Lumley in the new series of Amandaland, neatly summing up the absurdity of being a social media influencer. Luckily for us, it’s a job with endless comic potential, and this second series overflows with jokes about Amanda (Lucy Punch) trying and failing to become a luxury content creator. It remains the BBC’s best sitcom by a country mile.
Read Anita Singh’s full review ➤ Music Rolling Stones: In The Stars ★★★☆☆ A little more than three weeks after the release of the vinyl-only single, Rough and Twisted, the Rolling Stones are back with the first proper single from Foreign Tongues, their upcoming album, writes James Hall. In The Stars is their poppiest song for decades – a rocker with an instantly catchy chorus complete with a sing-along chant tailor-made for stadiums. They sound as vital and tight as you’d expect. I just wish the song was a little less in the stars and a bit more in the gutter. I wanted more dirt.
Read James Hall’s full review ➤ Film Mortal Kombat II ★☆☆☆☆ When steeling myself to see Mortal Kombat II, I looked up the original film to find out what happened in it, writes Robbie Collin, only to discover I had reviewed it when it was released, five years ago. That’s the sort of thing these grim and gory video-game adaptations are: in 2031, on the eve of Mortal Kombat III’s release, I’m sure I’ll end up Googling this one only to experience mild astonishment while reading these words right here.
Read Robbie Collin’s full review ➤ |
Prickly palsEvery weekday, Orlando Bird, our loyal reader correspondent, shares an off-piste topic that has brought out the best of your opinions and stories. Orlando writes...
I can’t remember the last time I saw a hedgehog. It’s just conceivable that this has something to do with where I live: Zone 2 of London. We’re spoilt for comically brazen urban foxes nosing around the bins, trotting across the roads and lounging insouciantly in my garden in the middle of the day. Hedgehogs? Not so much.
It’s not just a city thing, though. Their absence is felt in rural areas, too. In fact, their numbers have declined most sharply in the countryside in recent years. Telegraph readers, long sympathetic to the plight of these charming creatures, have therefore been sharing tips on how to make gardens a refuge for them.
Julia Hamilton writes: “We moved to our house in the country two years ago, and have at least two resident hogs. I feed and water them every night, and have installed a hog house, though they are yet to use this. A trail cam shows them enjoying their grub.”
Andy Williams adds: “I have six that come to my garden every night. For such small creatures, they are very noisy. They cost me a fortune in kitten biscuits.”
The question arises: how to supply food without attracting less welcome nocturnal visitors? Jack Hughes suggests: “Rats hate pungent smells such as peppermint, which does not seem to bother hedgehogs. Putting that near any food may work.”
Deirdre Snook, however, is less concerned about late-night free-for-alls: “Since installing a trail camera close to the hedgehog station, we have been able to observe their habits. Several cats stop by to have a sniff. I have a lovely video of a hedgehog and a cat on opposite sides of the water bowl, tolerating each other.
“We have not seen any rats, though from time to time we do have tiny field mice. We also have a fox that stops by for a drink of water, but does not seem interested in the hedgehogs.” Is your garden a hedgehog haven? Send your responses here and the best of the bunch will feature in a future edition of this newsletter.
Please confirm in your reply that you are happy to be featured and that we have your permission to use your name. |
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The celebrity’s outfit turned heads at the fashion event of the year in New York. Can you complete this headline?
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Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including The 1% Club, Cogs, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.
Yesterday’s Panagram was HENPECKED. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle. |
Please let me know what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback here.
Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow.
Chris Evans, Editor |
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