Reform UK racks up early Red Wall gains as Labour loses control in Southampton and Wandsworth

Reform UK won a swathe of council seats from Labour in early local election results, taking its first council of the night by seizing Newcastle-under-Lyme from the Conservatives, as Labour lost control of Southampton and south-west London’s Wandsworth. With results in from 29 of 136 councils in England, Reform UK had gained 205 seats and was on 218 in total.

The Greens had gained 16 seats and the Liberal Democrats three, with Labour losing 153, the Conservatives losing 35, Independents losing 41, ratepayers losing four and Your Party one. Nigel Farage suggested the performance meant Reform could win the next general election.

A Reform source said there had been a “direct swap from Labour to Reform”, describing the Red Wall as “crumbling one brick at a time” and saying it “could be a devastating night for Starmer”. Amid the bruising early returns for Labour, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy insisted “you don’t change the pilot during a flight” as he defended Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell countered: “I wish you hadn’t used that analogy of the pilot to be honest. To be honest, sometimes you do if you’re in a nose dive.” Labour lost control of Southampton Council, the seventh local authority the party has lost so far.

In the city, Labour lost seven seats, while Reform gained seven and the Greens gained four. The Conservatives lost three seats, and one Independent councillor also lost their seat. Labour remains the largest party on the council with 24 seats, two short of a majority, while Reform has eight, the Liberal Democrats seven, and the Conservatives and Greens six each.

Labour also lost control of south-west London’s Wandsworth Council, the sixth local authority it has lost so far. In London, early results showed the Liberal Democrats making major gains in Sutton and Labour holding Hammersmith and Fulham. In south London’s Sutton, the Liberal Democrats retained control after winning 23 seats.

Further declarations were continuing overnight as counts proceeded across England.