The results have dealt a blistering blow to PM Keir Starmer’s tenure as the ‘tough’ results have ‘hurt’
09:30, 08 May 2026Updated 09:38, 08 May 2026
Nigel Farage claims to be ‘thrilled and delighted’ having won the party’s first London borough(Image: PA)
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claims to be ‘thrilled and delighted’ having won the party’s first London borough. Reform has taken control of Havering, in East London.
It comes as yesterday’s (Thursday, May 7) local elections dealt a blow to PM Keir Starmer’s tenure as the ‘tough’ results have ‘hurt’ the Labour Party. He said that “days like this don’t weaken my resolve to deliver the change that I promised”.
Speaking at Kingsdown Methodist Church in Ealing , west London, this morning, he said: “The results are tough, they are very tough, and there’s no sugarcoating it.
“We have lost brilliant Labour representatives across the country, these are people who put so much into their communities, so much into our party.
“And that hurts, and it should hurt, and I take responsibility.”
But in East London celebrations will be underway after Reform UK won the council. Nigel Farage was asked by reporters whether the success was a result of a protest vote against the Labour government. He retorted: “It cannot continue to be a fluke or a protest vote.
“I can honestly say you are witnessing an historic shift in British politics. This (Reform UK) is now the most national of all parties.”
Mr Farage added Labour and the Conservatives were being “wiped out” in their traditional heartlands and said Reform would bring a mix of new ideas and experience.
He added: “We all know that finances of local councils all over the country are severely stretched. We are not promising miracles but we are promising good value for money.”
Labour faces further heavy losses as vote counting continues today in both English local elections and contests for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd.
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