Local elections 2026 — as it happened
Sir Keir Starmer insists he will not ‘walk away’ as party suffers historic defeat in Wales and the first minister resigns after losing her seat
www.thetimes.comLocal elections in the UK for 2026 largely took place on Thursday 7 May 2026, covering thousands of council seats across England, plus elections in Wales (Senedd) and Scotland (Scottish Parliament) on the same day.
What’s making the news (high level)
- Labour losing council control / more “no overall control” outcomes: Coverage highlights Labour losing control in areas including Birmingham, moving councils into hung or more fragmented control arrangements.
- Reform UK and the Greens gaining ground: Multiple outlets report Reform UK making major gains and the Green Party winning/controlling certain councils (and mayoral races), contributing to a more multi-party local political landscape.
- “Local elections as a referendum” narrative: Commentary around results frames them as a strong signal of voter mood toward major parties, with “insurgent” parties (notably Reform and Greens) taking larger shares of seats and vote.
Key context for 2026
- The Institute for Government notes the scale and structure of the English local election contests (including the number of councillors/councils involved and “shadow elections” tied to upcoming local government changes).[4]
If you mean “local to you”
You said “local elections 2026” from London. If you tell me your borough (e.g., Hackney, Camden, Lambeth) or whether you mean borough council vs London mayoral/assembly-related seats, I can narrow this to the most relevant headlines and results for your area.