Labour suffers historic Welsh defeat as SNP keeps majority; Reform makes major gains

Labour faced a punishing set of results across the UK today, recording a historic loss in the Welsh Senedd elections and a bruising run in England, while the Scottish National Party held on to its majority at Holyrood. In Wales, Labour finished third in the Senedd contest, behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK.

The party’s drop to third marked a significant setback in a legislature where it has traditionally been dominant. In Scotland, the SNP retained its majority. As of the time of recording, the race for second place was too close to call between Labour and Reform, underscoring a tight contest beneath the SNP’s lead.

In England, Labour’s difficulties continued as the party lost more than a thousand council seats. Reform won more than 1,400 councillors and the Greens also made gains, pointing to a reshaped local government landscape. The results collectively signal a difficult day for Labour and a strong showing for Reform, with final Scottish rankings for second place still pending at the time of recording.