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The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

What’s behind surge in support for Reform and Greens across England? Five key takeaways

Significant gains this week lay bare an increasingly fragmented political system Full results from England, Scotland and Wales Local elections have fundamentally reshaped the political landscape in England. Labour suffered heavy losses, losing ground to the Green party and Reform UK, while the Conservatives also sustained significant losses to Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats. Reform and the Green party made significant gains, in results that laid bare an increasingly fragmented political s

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

Don’t let Farage and Reform divide us, Labour’s Sarwar urges Holyrood leaders

Scottish Labour leader says he aims to hold SNP to account after his party tied for second with Reform in elections UK politics live – latest updates The Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, has warned other Scottish political leaders not to spend the next Holyrood parliament “shouting about Nigel Farage”, saying his job is to ensure there is a credible opposition at Holyrood “that holds the SNP’s feet to the fire”. While the Scottish National party won a fifth successive Holyrood victory and

PoliticsDefenceReform
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

As leader of the UK’s largest union, I want Labour to succeed – but that means radical change | Andrea Egan

If this isn’t to be the last ever Labour government, the party is going to need to reconnect with the labour movement Andrea Egan is the general secretary of Unison If you’re hurtling at high speed towards the cliff-edge, basic common sense says you should at least try to apply the brakes. It’s that moment now: in the wake of Friday’s disastrous election results for Labour, few really doubt there will inevitably be a new party leader – and prime minister. Yet endless speculation over the how a

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

Farage trying to avoid scrutiny over £5m gift from crypto billionaire, Labour says

Reform’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, seeks to present issue as irrelevant in interview with Laura Kuenssberg Labour has accused Nigel Farage of attempting to dodge scrutiny as the Reform leader continued to face questions over the £5m gift he received from a crypto billionaire shortly before the last general election. Asked about the gift from Christopher Harborne on Sunday, the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, sought to present it as an irrelevance to voters and said it had complied with

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

Plaid Cymru leader says he hopes to be made first minister as early as Tuesday

Rhun ap Iowerth says he hopes his party’s programme for government will get backing from across the Senedd UK politics live – latest updates The leader of Plaid Cymru is hoping to become Welsh first minister as early as Tuesday after his party won a historic victory in the Senedd elections, soundly beating Labour and holding off Reform UK. Plaid fell short of winning a majority in the Welsh parliament but Rhun ap Iorwerth said on Sunday he hoped that other parties would work with him and told

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

How could Labour remove Keir Starmer? Four possible routes

Replacing a leader is difficult, as Jeremy Corbyn proved – but MPs can apply pressure, publicly or privately Many Labour MPs believe Keir Starmer will not survive as Labour leader for long enough to fight the next election. What they cannot agree on, however – even after a disastrous set of results in this week’s elections – is how his departure might come about. The Labour rulebook makes it notoriously difficult to unseat a party leader: none has been formally ejected in the postwar period, tho

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

From fringe issue to the heart of politics: the UK Living Wage campaign marks 25 years of success | Heather Stewart

The group’s latest triumph won over the Department for Business and Trade, now it is eyeing private care providers and supermarkets A paragon of the kind of people-powered progress that feels all the more necessary in divisive times, the Living Wage campaign, is celebrating its25th anniversary this year. Born out of Telco (The East London Citizens’ Organisation), which ultimately became the nationwide group Citizens UK, the campaign has always involved communities working together, to press for

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

Phillipson: challenge to Starmer would be wrong despite election ‘kicking’

Education secretary says voters feel let down but do not want Labour to ‘spend more time talking amongst ourselves’ UK politics live – latest updates Labour MPs would be wrong to remove Keir Starmer, even though voters have given the party a “real kicking” at the ballot box and people feel “bitterly let down”, the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has said. Phillipson said Labour had been “too gloomy” and had made a mistake in trying to withdraw the winter fuel allowance, after the part

PoliticsEducation
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

‘Better the devil you know’: former Labour voters in Birmingham unsure about replacing Starmer

Focus group sceptical that replacing Keir Starmer would improve party’s fortunes, with some drawn to Reform or the Greens UK politics – live As Keir Starmer faces the prospect of a leadership challenge, former Labour voters in a Birmingham constituency were last week feeling nervous about what could come next. A month ago, the group from Birmingham Yardley had very little good to say about the prime minister, comparing him to a rat or a donkey. They said they felt he had let them down. Contin

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics10 May 2026

Starmer insists he won’t quit as PM, as former minister Catherine West seeks to trigger Labour leadership contest – UK politics live

MP says that unless a cabinet minister comes forward to challenge the PM by tomorrow that she will Good morning. There were many predictions for Labour’s future ahead of the English, Scottish and Welsh elections, which have been terrible for the party, but there is one outcome foreseen by no one: a leadership challenge by Catherine West. West, MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet and a junior Foreign Office minister until she was sacked in the reshuffle last year, announced yesterday afternoon that,

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics9 May 2026

MPs from Labour’s left to urge Ed Miliband to consider leadership bid

Keir Starmer set to face challenge as former minister says she will trigger race if no cabinet minister comes forward UK politics live – latest updates MPs from Labour’s left are expected to urge Ed Miliband to consider a leadership bid in the coming days, as Keir Starmer faced the prospect of a definite challenge from his MPs next week. Following grim results for Labour in elections on Thursday, former minister Catherine West said that if no cabinet ministers went public by Monday, she would

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics9 May 2026

‘I’ll talk to work on Monday’: what happens when a ‘paper candidate’ actually wins

Tyrone Scott, who didn’t think he had a hope in the election, wants to help the Greens rebuild ‘community cohesion’ in Hackney You would expect most political candidates who pull off a shock win to celebrate their victory, maybe with a glass of bubbly and excitement for the challenges of elected office ahead. But on Friday, as thousands of new councillors celebrated their triumphs, some surprise victors were less than pleased. Green party handlers apologised to one newly elected councillor in Fi

PoliticsEnvironment