Thomas Kerr (L), Reform UK Scotland’s Holyrood candidate, at the Glasgow vote count on 8 May, 2026
Photo: Jason Fong / Strathclyde Telegraph

The results of the candidate elections are in, and one thing is clear: Starmer’s government no longer represents the core values of the Labour Party.

After less than two years of being in government, the Labour party has suffered a scathing defeat, losing 28 seats and 1,121 council positions, predominantly to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.

With Reform gaining significant ground in local councils and devolved parliaments, experts believe this could lead to instability in British politics.

Labour suffered its heaviest losses in the North East to Reform UK, as they conceded Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside councils, which had been Labour strongholds for over 50 years. Reform has similarly made gains over Conservative districts, notably Essex and the London borough of Havering, bringing their new total to 1,450 council seats in England.

The resurgence of the Green Party in this election adds further significance. The Greens under Zack Polanski have gained a record number of 5 councils, including Norwich, Hastings, and districts in Greater Manchester and the London Borough of Waltham Forest, plus two Mayoral borough positions in Wiltshire and Hackney.

In Wales, Plaid Cymru has replaced Labour as the largest party after 100years. The Welsh nationalist party has taken back former unionist Labour strongholds. Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth now leads the Welsh Senedd, having increased from 21 to 43 seats, just shy of a majority. Reform is close in second with 34.

A noteworthy political event occurred in the Welsh Senedd in Late November 2025, when former Reform leader for Wales: Nathan Gill, was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison for accepting pro-Russian bribes.

Scotland’s election results were similarly fragmented; however, there was notable resistance in Scotland to Reform’s populist rhetoric, led by their leader, Malcolm Ian Offord.

While the SNP have fallen just shy of an overall majority, Holyrood remains more evenly split across parties than within England and Wales – a very different outlook to Parliament and the Senedd alike, which are now formed of two-party majorities. This has resulted in a relatively small gain of 17 seats for Reform in Holyrood.

The Scottish Greens also hailed record success in Scotland, with Lorna Slater for Edinburgh Central and Holly Bruce for Glasgow Southside, both contributing to a total of 15 seats for the Greens in Holyrood, not far behind Labour and Reform, who each hold 17 seats.

Both the SNP’s prevalence and record gains for the Green Party mean that Holyrood and Parliament are now at greater political odds than ever. So what does this mean for the future stability of Scottish devolution? It is no secret that the Reform party is staunchly against the prospect of Scottish or Welsh independence, and the party will govern moving forward according to strict British unionist principles.

Speaking during the release of the final Scottish election results on 9 May, and on the topic of a prospective Scottish referendum, SNP leader John Swinney said: “My immediate commitment is to ensure that Farage and Reform are locked out of governance in Scotland”. Reform’s gains in local councils and devolved parliaments reflect a broader political shift that could challenge progressive and constructive policymaking across Britain, particularly in Scotland.

Scotland’s Parliament has been placed at significant odds with Reform’s for further British unionism, and the U.K.’s political landscape has been restructured like never before. The answers to Britain’s overarching political issues are now more pertinent than ever before.