Sir Keir Starmer has issued a final appeal to voters ahead of Thursday's local elections, with Labour expected to suffer heavy losses. The Prime Minister urged the public to choose 'unity over division' amid predictions of significant gains for Reform UK and the Green Party.
Internal party tensions are rising, with rivals including former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and health secretary Wes Streeting reportedly preparing for a potential leadership challenge. Welsh Labour leader Baroness Eluned Morgan has publicly blamed Starmer for the party's expected loss of control in Wales for the first time since devolution in 1999.
An eve-of-election YouGov poll shows Reform UK leading on 25%, Labour on 18%, and the Conservatives on 17%. In Scotland, Labour is projected to fall to third place behind the SNP and Reform, while in Wales, Plaid Cymru is expected to win the Senedd with Labour in third. In London, the Greens are predicted to make significant gains at Labour's expense.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch acknowledged her party could lose up to 600 council seats but insisted she is leading a 'new party' with a plan for economic recovery. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage faced scrutiny over allegations that some of his council candidates support far-right activist Tommy Robinson and have made Islamophobic, racist, and homophobic comments, which the party said are being investigated.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski apologised after falsely claiming to be a British Red Cross spokesperson, admitting he 'used the wrong word'. He also conceded he is not ready to be Prime Minister, saying he has 'lots of skills and knowledge to get'.
