Reform UK consolidates north-east grip as Labour concedes local ground
Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure following a night of electoral setbacks across traditional northern heartlands
Local elections held across England on 8 May 2026 have delivered a stark rebuke to the Labour Party, with Reform UK emerging as the dominant force in north-east England. The contest, which the party had anticipated would be difficult, resulted in significant losses for the government in areas where it traditionally holds sway.
In Hartlepool, the scale of the defeat was immediate and total, as Reform UK secured all 12 contested seats. This result effectively ends Labour's tenure as the governing party in the town, pushing them into opposition status. While Reform does not currently hold an outright majority due to the partial cycle of the council, their complete sweep of the available seats necessitates negotiations with independents to form a new administration.
The electoral shift in Hartlepool has triggered a public call for leadership change within the party. Jonathan Brash, the MP for Hartlepool, publicly urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to address the nation regarding his departure following the results. Brash, whose wife Pamela Hargreaves lost her seat as the incumbent council leader, described the night as terrible for the party and argued that the electorate is demanding change at the top.
Beyond the north-east, Labour suffered further setbacks in Chorley, Redditch, and Tamworth, where the party lost councillors or failed to maintain overall control. In Wigan, Greater Manchester, the margin of control shifted dramatically as Reform UK gained 23 seats against Labour's loss of 20. Although Labour retains formal control of the council, the substantial transfer of seats indicates a significant erosion of their political base in the region.
In Halton, Cheshire, the political calculus also changed, with Reform UK gaining 15 councillors while Labour managed to hold only two of the 17 seats they were defending. This shift in vote share, combined with losses elsewhere in the north-west, points to a difficult night for the Prime Minister across his traditional heartlands. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats achieved a breakthrough by taking control of Stockport council.
Turnout in Hartlepool stood at 31.5%, a figure slightly higher than the 28% recorded in the 2024 local election. The results suggest that the party's previous performance in delivering for the town was not enough to retain support, leading to a despondent mood among Labour officials at the count in Brierton sports centre.