Overview
- Voting opened Thursday at 7 a.m. and runs to 10 p.m. across England, Scotland and Wales, with photo ID required at polling stations in England.
- More than 5,000 council seats on 136 English authorities are being decided alongside six mayoral contests, with all seats in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd also on the ballot and nearly 25,000 candidates standing.
- Polling experts predict Labour could lose roughly 1,800 seats in England as Reform UK and the Green Party make significant gains, though these remain forecasts until counts conclude.
- Counting begins after polls close, with first council results expected in the early hours of Friday and many declarations continuing through Saturday, and no authoritative exit poll announced for these contests.
- Analysts warn that advances by smaller parties could leave more councils with no overall control, forcing coalitions that may slow decisions on planning, housing and local services.