Overview
- Reform UK and the Greens have broken into former strongholds, taking hundreds of council seats, two new mayoralties in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire, and a Runcorn by-election.
- Polling and commentary show Labour and the Conservatives losing dominance, with party leaders seen as vulnerable heading into the devolved and local votes.
- The Guardian’s editorial projects Labour could be pushed into opposition in Wales as Plaid Cymru and Reform advance, while the SNP is described as on course for a Holyrood majority.
- Four new English mayoral elections slated for May were postponed to 2028, drawing criticism from rivals who argue the delay blunts momentum for insurgent parties.
- Researchers at the National Centre for Social Research reported confidence in Britain’s governing system at a historic low, heightening concerns about legitimacy under first-past-the-post as votes fragment.