In Wales, the party suffered a historic defeat in the Senedd elections, while in Scotland the Scottish National Party retained power for a fifth consecutive term in the Scottish Parliament.
The elections, held across Scotland, Wales and 136 English local authorities, were the largest electoral test since Labour’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election.
Far-right Reform UK also continued its recent rise, winning more than 1,450 council seats and building on gains made in local elections last year.
Starmer, 63, only came to power in July 2024 after a landslide election win that ended 14 years of Conservative party rule dominated by austerity measures, infighting over Brexit and its Covid response.
But he has swerved from one policy misstep to another, and became mired in a scandal over the appointment and sacking of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, after revelations about the envoy’s ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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