{"id":1925905,"date":"2026-05-08T08:08:41","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T05:08:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1925905"},"modified":"2026-05-08T08:08:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T05:08:41","slug":"pm-keir-starmer-says-he-will-not-quit-after-uk-local-elections-show-losses-for-labour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1925905","title":{"rendered":"PM Keir Starmer says he will not quit after UK local elections show losses for Labour"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/11\/53\/1200x675_cmsv2_137528fc-93b8-54e8-b2e7-6ca5462829f8-9751153.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2892257-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2892257\" data-cid=\"9751833\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2892257-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" 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Marco Rubio received in Rome by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Rubio: &#8216;Trump has not decided on withdrawal&#8217; but there is &#8216;problem with Nato&#8217;\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2892307-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2892307\" data-cid=\"9752163\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2892307-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/21\/63\/189x106_cmsv2_ad17534b-fd54-5bd0-8bb6-4deb29f4d002-9752163.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | May 8th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\" height=\"9\" 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id=\"abe-2892307-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2892307\" data-cid=\"9752163\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2892307-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/21\/63\/189x106_cmsv2_ad17534b-fd54-5bd0-8bb6-4deb29f4d002-9752163.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | May 8th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | May 8th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            PM Keir Starmer says he will not quit after UK local elections show losses for Labour<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative u-max-width-1280 u-margin-x-auto\" data-video='{\"id\":\"xa8lxtk\",\"articleId\":2892148,\"title\":\"PM Keir Starmer says he will not quit after UK local elections show losses for Labour\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/43\/56\/87\/09\/SHD_PYR_4356879_20260508101901.mp4\",\"programId\":\"europe-news\",\"player\":\"dailymotion\",\"geoBlock\":[\"\"],\"sources\":[],\"description\":\"The votes are widely seen as an unofficial referendum on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he was elected less than two years ago.\",\"isLive\":false,\"articleUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/video\/2026\/05\/08\/partial-results-show-losses-for-labour-and-wins-for-reform-uk-in-local-elections\",\"duration\":77080}' data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/11\/53\/1536x864_cmsv2_137528fc-93b8-54e8-b2e7-6ca5462829f8-9751153.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets Labour Party members at Kingsdown Methodist Church Hall in Ealing, 8 May, 2026\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Britain&#8217;s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets Labour Party members at Kingsdown Methodist Church Hall in Ealing, 8 May, 2026<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspGavin Blackburn\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1778227721\">\n                    Published on                 <time datetime=\"2026-05-08 10:08:41 +02:00\">08\/05\/2026 &#8211; 10:08 GMT+2<\/time><span class=\"c-article-publication-date__bullet\">\u2022<\/span>Updated<br \/>\n                                     <time datetime=\"13:25\">13:25<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\" class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__header u-display-flex\"><span>Share<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" 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class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__embed_container u-display-none\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__embed__tooltip\"><br \/>\n                            Copy\/paste the article video embed link below:<br \/>\n                        <\/span><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__embed u-display-flex\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-copy-to-clipboard.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Copy to clipboard\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-partage-commentaire-copy\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__embed--success-copied u-display-none js-c-article-partage-commentaire-video-embed-success-link-copied\"><br \/>\n                                Copied<br \/>\n                            <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        The votes are widely seen as an unofficial referendum on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he was elected less than two years ago.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on Friday that he will not resign after bruising elections that saw his governing Labour Party suffer big losses and the hard-right party Reform UK make major gains.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>With about a quarter of the votes counted on Friday morning, Starmer said he took responsibility for the &#8220;very tough&#8221; results but would not quit.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The voters have sent a message about the pace of change, how they want their lives improved,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I was elected to meet those challenges and I\u2019m not going to walk away from those challenges and plunge the country into chaos.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The ballot was widely seen as an unofficial referendum on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he was elected less than two years ago.<\/p>\n<p>Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, won hundreds of local council seats in working-class areas in England\u2019s north that were once solid Labour turf.<\/p>\n<p>The picture will change throughout Friday as results come in from the majority of local councils, including Labour strongholds like London. Votes will also be counted in contests for the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales, where all seats were up for grabs.<\/p>\n<p>Farage said the results marked \u201can historic change in British politics.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A Labour rout could trigger moves by restive party lawmakers to oust a leader who led them to power in July 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Even if Starmer survives for now, many analysts doubt he will lead the party into the next national election, which must be held by 2029.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy cautioned the party not to topple the prime minister, saying \u201cyou don\u2019t change the pilot during the flight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Green Party also hoped to increase its vote share and win hundreds of council seats in urban centres and university towns. The results reflect a fragmentation of British politics after decades of domination by Labour and the Conservatives.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/11\/53\/808x539_cmsv2_8ca390a6-3556-52ce-9e25-8e8bde8d25e9-9751153.jpg\" alt=\"Reform UK leader Nigel Farage poses for a photo during a visit to Havering Town Hall in Romford, 8 May, 2026\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Reform UK leader Nigel Farage poses for a photo during a visit to Havering Town Hall in Romford, 8 May, 2026<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Conservative Party is also expected to lose ground, with the centrist Liberal Democrats making some gains.<\/p>\n<p>Reform UK, running on an anti-establishment, anti-immigration message, also is eyeing breakthroughs in Scotland and Wales, though pro-independence nationalists the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru are more likely to form governments in Edinburgh and Cardiff.<\/p>\n<p>John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, said Britain is entering a new political era where &#8220;none of the parties are very big.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven Reform are probably not quite at 30% of the vote, so the fracturing of British politics is underlined by these results,\u201d he told the BBC.<\/p>\n<p>Starmer\u2019s popularity plunged after repeated missteps and U-turns on policies such as welfare reform.<\/p>\n<p>His government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living, tasks made harder by the Iran war, which has choked off oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/11\/53\/808x539_cmsv2_c4f04011-4202-5749-8aef-953dd5e5b059-9751153.jpg\" alt=\"A voter holds a polling card as she queues at a polling station in Walton on the Naze, 7 May, 2026 \"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">A voter holds a polling card as she queues at a polling station in Walton on the Naze, 7 May, 2026 <\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The prime minister has been further hurt by his disastrous decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain\u2019s ambassador to the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Poor election results could trigger a challenge from a high-profile rival such as Health Secretary Wes Streeting, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner or Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.<\/p>\n<p>Alternately, Starmer could face pressure from the party to set a timetable for his departure after an orderly leadership contest.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think Keir Starmer should survive these results,&#8221; said Labour lawmaker Jonathan Brash, who represents Hartlepool in Parliament. \u201cWe have to be bolder, and we have to go further. And quite frankly, we need new leadership in order to achieve that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-contributors c-article-contributors-supplementary u-margin-top-2 u-padding-top-2\">\n<p>Additional sources<strong> \u2022 AP<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Watch: potholes or Europe? Decoding Britain\u2019s local elections<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Voting under way in UK local elections seen as a verdict on Keir Starmer&#8217;s leadership<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Hard-right Reform UK party eyes huge new gains in local elections on Thursday<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Keir Starmer<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  local election<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Nigel Farage<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  United Kingdom<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Conservatives<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Labour Party<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img 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height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Trump announces three-day of ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2891398-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2891398\" data-cid=\"9747487\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2891398-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/74\/74\/87\/320x180_cmsv2_9e28c1df-6fbc-5b66-837f-03100b5133fc-9747487.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Vladimir Putin has admitted difficulties in the Russian economy.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>  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Nato&#8217;<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2892293-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2892293\" data-cid=\"9752112\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2892293-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/21\/12\/320x180_cmsv2_aab77e2c-1793-5d2d-b528-8d5c7074cf9e-9752112.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets Labour Party members at Kingsdown Methodist Church Hall, in Ealing, west London, Friday May 8, 2026, a day after the local elec\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Why a weakened Starmer will worry the EU<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891877-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2891877\" data-cid=\"9749778\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Where in Europe is tap water the most and least safe?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891783-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2891783\" data-cid=\"9749372\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Who pays more tax? See where you fall in Europe\u2019s income tax divide<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2891398-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2891398\" data-cid=\"9747487\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    After 20 rounds of sanctions, the EU sees cracks in Russia&#8217;s economy<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2892070-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2892070\" data-cid=\"9750758\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    UAE reports missile attack as Iran war ceasefire is challenged<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2892136-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2892136\" data-cid=\"9751118\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    White House calls out Star Wars actor Mark Hamill for dead Trump image<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on Friday that he will not resign after bruising elections that saw his governing Labour Party suffer big losses and the hard-right party Reform UK make major gains.With about a quarter of the votes counted on Friday morning, Starmer said he took responsibility for the &#8220;very tough&#8221; results but would not quit.&#8221;The voters have sent a message about the pace of change, how they want their lives improved,&#8221; he said.&#8221;I was elected to meet those challenges and I\u2019m not going to walk away from those challenges and plunge the country into chaos.&#8221;The ballot was widely seen as\u00a0an unofficial referendum\u00a0on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he was\u00a0elected less than two years ago.Reform UK,\u00a0led by Nigel Farage, won hundreds of local council seats in working-class areas in England\u2019s north that were once solid Labour turf.The picture will change throughout Friday as results come in from the majority of local councils, including Labour strongholds like London. Votes will also be counted in contests for the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales, where all seats were up for grabs.Farage said the results marked \u201can historic change in British politics.\u201dA Labour rout could trigger moves by restive party lawmakers to oust a leader who\u00a0led them to power in July 2024.Even if Starmer survives for now, many analysts doubt he will lead the party into the next national election, which must be held by 2029.Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy cautioned the party not to topple the prime minister, saying \u201cyou don\u2019t change the pilot during the flight.\u201dThe\u00a0Green Party\u00a0also hoped to increase its vote share and win hundreds of council seats in urban centres and university towns. The results reflect a fragmentation of British politics after decades of domination by Labour and the Conservatives.The Conservative Party is also expected to lose ground, with the centrist Liberal Democrats making some gains.Reform UK, running on an anti-establishment, anti-immigration message, also is eyeing breakthroughs in Scotland and Wales, though pro-independence nationalists the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru are more likely to form governments in Edinburgh and Cardiff.John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, said Britain is entering a new political era where &#8220;none of the parties are very big.\u201d\u201cEven Reform are probably not quite at 30% of the vote, so the fracturing of British politics is underlined by these results,\u201d he told the BBC.Starmer\u2019s popularity plunged after\u00a0repeated missteps\u00a0and U-turns on policies such as welfare reform.His government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair\u00a0tattered public services\u00a0and ease the cost of living, tasks made harder by the Iran war, which has choked off oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.The prime minister has been further hurt by his disastrous decision to appoint\u00a0Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain\u2019s ambassador to the United States.Poor election results could trigger a challenge from a high-profile rival such as Health Secretary\u00a0Wes Streeting, former Deputy Prime Minister\u00a0Angela Rayner\u00a0or Greater Manchester Mayor\u00a0Andy Burnham.Alternately, Starmer could face pressure from the party to set a timetable for his departure after an orderly leadership contest.\u201cI don\u2019t think Keir Starmer should survive these results,&#8221; said Labour lawmaker Jonathan Brash, who represents Hartlepool in Parliament. \u201cWe have to be bolder, and we have to go further. And quite frankly, we need new leadership in order to achieve that.\u201d<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/05\/08\/partial-results-show-losses-for-labour-and-wins-for-reform-uk-in-local-elections&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/11\/53\/1200x675_cmsv2_137528fc-93b8-54e8-b2e7-6ca5462829f8-9751153.jpg&#8221;] Sport Judo: Strong start for the hosts in Astana Europe News Trump announces three-day of ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia Europe News Rubio: &#8216;Trump has not decided on withdrawal&#8217; but there is &#8216;problem with Nato&#8217; Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | May 8th, 2026 \u2013 Evening Sport Judo: Strong start [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1925905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1925905","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1925905"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1925905\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1925905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1925905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1925905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}