Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under pressure after Reform UK’s political breakthrough, making sweeping gains in the latest local elections. Veteran Labour mayor Ros Jones bluntly warned Starmer to “start listening” after barely fending off Reform’s challenge in Doncaster.
Nigel Farage’s rightwing party shocked both Labour and the Conservatives by winning the Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty. They finished strongly across several regions. Former Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns became the first elected mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, defeating the Tories by a massive 40,000-vote majority.
Jenkyns used her victory speech to blast opponents, saying she faced “soul-destroying” dirty tricks during the campaign. She mocked accusations of being “parachuted in” and pledged tough policies, including opposition to housing migrants in hotels. “Tents are good enough for France. They should be good enough for people in Britain,” she said defiantly amidst this political reform breakthrough.
Meanwhile, Reform surged ahead in Hull and East Yorkshire. Former Olympic boxer Luke Campbell ran a strong mayoral campaign there. The party also shocked Labour in Doncaster. Ros Jones barely secured her fourth term as mayor, winning by fewer than 700 votes.
Jones openly criticized Starmer’s national policies. She slammed cuts to the winter fuel allowance and rising national insurance costs. “I think the results tonight show they need to listen to the people and deliver,” she said. This statement reflects on the major political changes from Reform’s breakthrough.
The “Reform political breakthrough” now dominates headlines. Farage and his allies call the Reform political breakthrough a clear sign they can challenge for government. Critics warn the Reform political breakthrough signals growing voter frustration with both major parties.
In the West of England, Labour’s Helen Godwin secured the mayoralty. However, Reform stunned observers by finishing second, ahead of the Green Party. Reform’s candidate, Brexit financier Arron Banks, captured over 45,000 votes. This narrowed the gap with Labour’s 51,000.
Jenkyns declared the Lincolnshire win a key step toward national power. “Reform is getting into places of power for the first time, and we have to show we can deliver,” she told reporters during this political breakthrough. She campaigned on slogans like “No to net zero madness” and proposed a “Doge Lincolnshire” government-efficiency plan inspired by Elon Musk’s U.S. reforms.
With national elections looming, Starmer faces mounting calls to reconnect with working-class voters. He needs to address growing discontent within Labour’s traditional base. Reform’s rise may reshape Britain’s political map faster than many expected, following this breakthrough in political reform.
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