Overview
- Voters in England go to the polls on Wednesday, May 7, to fill more than 5,000 council seats, with most counts due on May 8 and 9.
- Conservative peer and polling expert Robert Hayward projects Labour could lose about 1,850 seats, with Reform UK gaining roughly 1,550, the Greens about 500, and the Conservatives around 600.
- Other forecasts vary, with Oxford’s Stephen Fisher pointing to about 1,900 Labour losses and some models nearer 1,500, underscoring large uncertainty before ballots are counted.
- In London, polling and expert analysis highlight strong Green advances, including talk of a possible takeover in Hackney and a jump in boroughs likely to fall into no overall control.
- Reporting also notes that losses above roughly 1,500 for Labour could stoke pressure on Keir Starmer’s leadership, though the political fallout will depend on where results land.