Earthquake on the electoral map of the United Kingdom. The Labor Prime Minister was expected to be punished, Keir Starmerin these partial municipal elections in England and regional in Scotland y Galesbut the setback has been greater than expected. The two historic parties of British politics, Labor and Conservatives, have collapsed in the face of the advance of Reform UKthe far-right populists led by Nigel Farage. To capitalize through lies vote for Brexit With UKIP, Farage’s new brand has now displaced bipartisanship in many of its traditional strongholds, to which must be added the victories of the Scottish and Welsh nationalists. If we add the current Northern Irish government of Sinn Feinthe three historic nations of the United Kingdom (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) will be led by independence forces.
ENGLAND
In England, some 5,000 council positions were at stake in 136 town councils (of the 317 in English territory). With 131 councils scrutinized, Reform UK It exceeds 1,400 councilors, when in 2022 it had barely achieved 2, although it only manages to be the first force in 14 municipalities. The emergence of the ancient Brexit Party It occurred in the partial municipal elections last year, when it already added 667 new councilors and won in 10 town councils.
He Labor Party of Starmer, who had won the 2022 municipal elections due to the erosion caused to the conservatives by the management of Boris Johnsonnow loses more than half of the council offices and becomes the second force in number of councilors, ahead of the Liberal Democratic Partywhich in turn has surpassed the ‘tories’. Labor has given up more than 1,400 seats and the Conservatives, more than 500. So, Reform UK has fished both right and left, while the most leftist vote has taken refuge in the Green Partyespecially in urban areas, and part of the center-right vote has been absorbed by the liberals, especially in the south of England.
In addition, Farage’s party expands its support base practically throughout the territory, which places it as a serious rival for Labor and Conservatives in the face of the general elections scheduled for 2029. For example, it has expanded its representation in former Labor strongholds in the north and center of England, where it has gained ground in much of London or in Liverpooland in areas such as Wigan, Bolton, Salford y Haltonand in town halls like Hartlepool, Tameside o Tamworthwhile he has conquered Newcastle-under-Lyme to the conservatives. His best result in the London metropolitan area has been victory in garden ringin the east of the capital and bordering the county of Essex.
SCOTLAND
In Scotlandthe leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), John Swinneyhas revalidated a comfortable victory and is assured of re-election as prime minister, but the party that has dominated Scottish politics since 2007 has once again been left without an absolute majority in the Holyrood Parliamenta factor that was key to being able to reactivate the demand for a second self-determination referendum.
He SNP has harvested 58 of the 129 seatssix less than in the 2021 elections and seven from the absolute majority. Labor and Reform UK have tied 17 deputies in second position, and the Greens (15) have surpassed the Conservatives (12), with the Liberal Democrats very close behind (10).
GALES
The other big turnaround on election day occurred in Gales. The defeat of Starmer’s party is perhaps more painful in this territory because Labor has governed almost without rivals during 27 years of self-government. Plaid Cymrua party that is committed to the independence of Wales in the long term, has won the elections with 35.4% of the votes and 43 seatsbut has remained six short of the absolute majority in the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament), so it will have to seek support to govern. That is where Labor can be decisive despite its historic setback: they have lost 35 deputies and have been left with just 9 and just over 11% of the votes.
The ultras of Reform UK have burst into the Welsh Chamber with such force that they have become the second force in the country with 29.3% of the votes and 34 deputies. The Conservative Party has also suffered a severe setback by losing 22 parliamentarians and keeping 7, although it has been a few tenths away from surpassing the Labor Party in votes.
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