Local Elections Begin as Reform UK Expected to Gain Hundreds of Seats

Local elections are underway across 23 councils in England, with 1,641 council seats and six mayoralties at stake, alongside a parliamentary by-election in Runcorn & Helsby. Polls and political analysts predict significant gains for Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, which is expected to win hundreds of council seats, two or three mayoralties, and potentially secure the Runcorn by-election, marking a blow to both Labour and the Conservatives. The elections are widely seen as a protest vote, driven by widespread disillusionment among voters dissatisfied with the current political system and leadership of both main parties. Both Labour, under Sir Keir Starmer, and the Conservatives, led by Kemi Badenoch, have attempted to downplay expectations amid falling popularity and internal challenges. Recent national polls place Reform UK ahead of both Labour and the Conservatives, signaling a possible reshaping of the political landscape. The results, expected to arrive from Friday morning, will serve as the first major electoral test for the new leadership of both main parties.