UK PM Starmer faces growing pressure after major election losses

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure from within the ruling Labour Party after heavy losses in local and regional elections across the United Kingdom.

With most results from the elections on May 8 now counted, Labour lost more than 1,400 council seats in England. The party also suffered defeat in elections to the Welsh parliament, where it had dominated politics for decades, and lost ground in the Scottish parliament, The Guardian reports. 

The results marked the biggest electoral test for Labour since Starmer came to power in 2024 and highlighted the growing fragmentation of Britain’s political landscape.

Labour lost support to several parties, including the right-wing populist Nigel Farage-led Reform UK, the Green Party of England and Wales, and nationalist parties in Wales and Scotland.

The elections also reflected the weakening of the UK’s traditional two-party system dominated by Labour and the Conservatives. Reform UK secured the largest share of votes, while Labour, the Conservatives, the Greens and the Liberal Democrats followed closely behind.

Although Starmer does not face a national parliamentary election for another three years, some Labour lawmakers are openly questioning his leadership. Debbie Abrahams, a Labour MP from northern England, warned that the party was heading in the wrong direction.

“We have to recognise the dangers that we’re in now, that on this trajectory it doesn’t look good,” she said. Asked how soon Starmer should step down, she replied: “I think it is a matter of months.”

Despite the criticism, Starmer continues to receive public backing from senior ministers, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, both seen as possible future leadership contenders.

Attention has also turned to Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, who is viewed by some Labour members as a potential replacement. However, Burnham is not currently a member of parliament.

In an opinion article published on Saturday, Starmer acknowledged the scale of the setback, writing that the results were “very tough” and that Labour needed to learn lessons from the vote.

At the same time, he rejected calls from some within the party to move further left in an attempt to regain voters who shifted to the Greens.

“While we must respond to the message that voters have sent us, that doesn’t mean tacking right or left. It means bringing together a broad political movement,” Starmer wrote.

Many Labour figures believe the government has achieved some policy successes and managed international issues effectively, including relations with US President Donald Trump. However, critics say repeated policy reversals and political missteps have weakened public confidence.

The opposition Conservative Party also suffered losses in the elections. Under leader Kemi Badenoch, the Conservatives lost more than 500 councillors and also performed poorly in Scotland and Wales.

By Sabina Mammadli