British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ruled out resigning after preliminary results showed his Labour Party suffering heavy losses in May 7 local and devolved elections across England, Scotland and Wales, the BBC reported May 8. With about a third of councils declared, Labour had lost around 200 councilors and eight English authorities, while the Greens, Liberal Democrats and especially the anti-immigration Reform UK all posted gains.

Voters went to the polls on May 7 in contests widely viewed as a verdict on Starmer's government, with roughly 5,000 English council seats, six mayoralties and all seats in the Scottish and Welsh parliaments contested. Labour's standing has eroded sharply since taking office in July 2024, despite its commanding parliamentary majority, amid a stagnant economy, tight fiscal room, repeated U-turns on welfare, tax and spending, and recent scandals. Internal discussions over a possible leadership transition have thus intensified in recent weeks, even as Starmer has continued to insist he will lead Labour into the 2029 general election.