Keir Starmer's party lost big in U.K. local elections. Here's what comes next.

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. World Keir Starmer's party lost big in U. Here's what comes next. May 10, 20268:27 AM ET By Chandelis Duster Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks, during a meeting with leaders from across society to discuss tackling antisemitism, at Downing Street in London, Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Hannah McKay/AP/Pool hide caption toggle caption Hannah McKay/AP/Pool U. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour party suffered major losses in elections held across Britain last week, resulting in multiple calls for Starmer to resign. The historic losses are a reflection of growing unpopularity with Starmer's tenure, which has been beset by a weak economy, backlash over his appointment of an ambassador with ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and a surge in antisemitism that has been declared a "national emergency.

The Details

" Consider This from NPR What's driving an increase in antisemitism in the United Kingdom? Starmer and his center-left Labour Party swept to power and defeated the center-right Conservative Party in July 2024. But less than two years later, Labour lost the most seats of any party in last week's regional elections.

While Labour faltered, right-wing populist Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage – a Trump ally and central figure in the Brexit movement – made significant gains. Other groups, particularly the left wing Green Party, also recorded notable wins. As well as demonstrating voter dissatisfaction with Starmer, the local election results show that the United Kingdom, traditionally a two-party system, now has at least five major political forces.

All will now be hoping to make gains in the general election, which will be held before May 2029. Sponsor Message Here is what to know. What were the final results?

What Experts Say

About 5,000 seats were up for grabs across 136 council elections on Thursday. The Labour Party won just over 1,000 of the seats that were contested, losing more than 1,100 seats that it had previously held. Meanwhile, the right-wing populist Reform UK party gained more than 1,400 seats.

Consider This from NPR How the Epstein files are upending U. politics Other parties recorded smaller wins, with the Green Party gaining more than 300 seats and the Liberal Democrats more than 150. The Conservative Party – traditionally Britain's other dominant political force alongside Labour – also performed badly, losing over 500 seats.

These were regional elections, meaning voters chose which politicians they wanted to represent them in their local area. However, they were also sending a message to the ruling Labour party about how they feel the country is being run. Starmer plans to continue Starmer took responsibility for the Labour Party's defeat.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.