Lead: Early counts from the 2026 English council elections, reported in the early hours around 04:50–04:57 BST, show a mixed picture: the Liberal Democrats hold control in Richmond-upon-Thames and Sutton, Labour keeps Reading despite losses, and Reform UK is making notable gains across multiple councils. Several councils remain under no overall control or are still being counted, with local results already reshaping council groupings and prompting national reaction. Turnout in some wards is higher than usual and the pattern of transfers between Labour, Conservatives, Reform and the Greens is emerging as a key dynamic.
Key Takeaways
- Richmond-upon-Thames: All 54 seats were contested; Liberal Democrats retain control, gaining six seats while the Greens lost five and Conservatives lost one.
- Sutton: All 55 seats were up; Liberal Democrats will keep a majority as counts continue.
- Reading: Labour retains control but loses four seats — three to the Greens and one to the Conservatives.
- Tameside (57 seats, one-third up): Labour lost 16 seats and its majority; Reform gained 18, rising from 1 to 19 seats to become the council’s second-largest party.
- Rochford: Reform won 13 seats of the 39-seat council and are the largest party; the council remains under no overall control (20 needed for majority).
- Wigan: Labour lost all 22 seats it was defending to Reform UK but keeps overall control because only a third were contested.
- Across several councils (Oldham, Colchester, Bolton, Brentwood, North East Lincolnshire), Reform made multiple gains, while Conservatives and Labour saw losses in many of the declared wards.
- Turnout was notably above 50% in several Havering wards, an unusually high figure for council elections.
Background
Local council elections in England typically elect either all or a portion of councillors depending on the council’s cycle; this year some boroughs had every seat contested (whole-council elections), others elected halves or thirds. These contests often reflect both local issues and national political sentiment, and the pattern of gains and losses here feeds into broader judgments about party strength ahead of a potential general election. Reform UK entered many councils with few or no seats in 2022 but campaigned this cycle on issues such as immigration and the cost of living, themes they say resonate with voters dissatisfied with the two main parties.
Historically, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and other northern areas have been Labour strongholds; losses in those areas — even where overall control is retained due to partial contests — are seen as politically significant. The Green Party has also improved its vote share in key wards compared with 2022, sometimes taking seats from Labour and contributing to the redistribution of local council seats. The Liberal Democrats have concentrated resources in target councils, holding ground in some areas while suffering setbacks in others such as Hull.
Main Event
Declarations through the early morning show a patchwork of outcomes. Richmond-upon-Thames (54 seats) moved in favour of the Liberal Democrats, who gained six seats in a full-council election; party sources confirmed the Lib Dems retained control after counts closed for that borough. Sutton, another whole-council election with 55 seats, is also set to remain Liberal Democrat controlled as counting continues and declarations come in.
Labour held Reading but with a reduced margin: the party lost four seats, three of which the Greens won and one that the Conservatives took. In Tameside, where a third of the 57 seats were contested, Labour’s long-standing majority collapsed after a 16-seat loss; Reform recorded 18 gains and became the council’s second-largest group. That swing illustrates a broader pattern of voters switching to Reform in some areas, while in others the Greens are the main beneficiaries of Labour weakness.
Smaller counts highlighted Reform advances in Essex and London boroughs: Rochford saw Reform win 13 of the seats declared, making them the largest party on that council though short of majority control. In Havering, Reform took the first declared ward (St Alban’s) — one seat from the Conservatives and one from Labour — and activists celebrated early successes at the count. In coastal and northern councils including Plymouth, Bolton and Southend-on-Sea, Reform also reported multiple gains in early declarations.
Analysis & Implications
The immediate political implication is that the national picture appears more fragmented: Reform UK is converting protest and disaffection into tangible local representation, particularly in areas where Conservative support has declined sharply. Professor Sir John Curtice’s early analysis (reported during the count) suggests Reform disproportionately gains where the Conservatives are weak, while Labour’s losses are often amplified by an improved Green vote. This creates complex transfer patterns where Labour can lose seats to Reform indirectly because of Green surges in three‑way contests.
For Labour, losses in traditional strongholds — even if overall control of some councils remains secure because only a fraction of seats were up for election — will intensify internal scrutiny of strategy and messaging ahead of national polling. Several Labour MPs, especially those representing affected constituencies, are expected to press for a review of local engagement and national policy positioning. The party faces the dual challenge of resisting erosion on its left by the Greens and on its right by Reform in certain areas.
For the Conservatives the picture is stark in areas where Reform is strongest: local Conservative groups suffered significant seat losses in boroughs like Lincoln and across parts of Essex and Greater Manchester. The losses will prompt questions about whether Conservative voters are switching temporarily as a protest or whether this marks a more durable realignment. The outcome will shape tactical decisions, candidate selection and issue emphasis if a general election is called.
Comparison & Data
| Council | Total seats | Seats up | Notable changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond-upon-Thames | 54 | All | Lib Dem +6; Greens -5; Conservatives -1 |
| Sutton | 55 | All | Lib Dem retain majority |
| Reading | — | — | Labour retain; -4 seats (Greens +3, Conservatives +1) |
| Tameside | 57 | One-third | Labour -16; Reform +18 (1→19) |
| Rochford | 39 | One-third | Reform 13 declared (largest party); council no overall control |
| Wigan | 60 | One-third | Labour lost all 22 defended seats to Reform but keeps overall control |
The table highlights selected councils where full or partial results were declared early. Comparisons with 2022 outcomes show Reform moving from minimal representation to multiple-seat gains in several areas, while Labour and Conservatives both recorded net losses in contested wards. These shifts are concentrated in wards where turnout and tactical voting patterns amplified challengers’ performance.
Reactions & Quotes
“Tonight’s results have been very encouraging — a complete rejection of the two main parties,”
Richard Tice, Deputy Leader of Reform UK (interview, Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Context: Tice framed Reform’s gains as a national repudiation of Labour and Conservatives and said the party aims to be ready with policies by the end of the year for a general election. His comments reflect Reform’s narrative that voters are motivated by cost-of-living concerns and immigration.
“If I see an injustice then mark my words, you will hear my voice,”
Saahi Aroori, newly-elected Plymouth councillor (Drake ward)
Context: Aroori, 23, emphasised representation and local advocacy after winning a seat in Plymouth, portraying her election as giving voice to underrepresented residents on the city council.
“It’s a really soul-destroying night. We’ve lost a large number of really good Labour councillors,”
Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour MP for Salford (BBC Radio Election special)
Context: Long-Bailey, speaking on radio, described the scale of Labour losses and blamed pressure from both Reform and the Greens for squeezing Labour support on the doorstep.
Unconfirmed
- Several councils listed above still had wards to declare at the time of early reporting; final seat tallies for those councils remain subject to official confirmation by returning officers.
- Statements framing results as a “complete rejection” of the two main parties are interpretive; while Reform made significant gains in many areas, those gains were uneven and not universal across England.
- Claims that Reform will be “more ready than any other party” for a general election reflect party intent but do not guarantee policy completeness, national reach or electoral success at a general election.
Bottom Line
The early count from the 2026 English council elections reveals a fragmented local political map: Liberal Democrats held key whole-council areas such as Richmond and Sutton, Labour retained some councils but with losses, and Reform UK recorded notable gains across multiple councils. The pattern suggests a volatile local electorate where protest sentiment, Green advances and Reform’s appeal combine to reshape council chambers.
For national politics, these results are a warning signal to the major parties that voter loyalties can shift quickly at the local level. The coming days will clarify whether the trends solidify into sustained national momentum for Reform or whether they represent a temporary expression of local dissatisfaction; final declarations and turnout-adjusted analyses will be essential to draw firmer conclusions.
Sources
- BBC Live: Local elections 2026 — live reporting and official result declarations (media)