Starmer under pressure as Labour suffers heavy election losses including historic Wales defeat

All three smaller parties—Greens, Lib Dems, and Reform—signal growing influence as Holyrood moves into a new term.

Lib Dems shook off losses in Shetland and targeted new seats across rural Highlands to the urban central belt.

The Greens and Lib Dems reported buoyancy from gains, while Reform's ascent suggested growing influence ahead of the next term.

The SNP defied political gravity by winning a fifth consecutive term in office, though without an outright majority.

Alex Cole-Hamilton's party overturned a large SNP majority in Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch; former deputy first minister Kate Forbes was stepping down.

The Liberal Democrats won seven constituency seats, expanding their presence beyond Shetland losses.

Conservatives leader Russell Findlay acknowledged losses and warned Reform could be a gift to the SNP.

Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie held Dumbarton and supported Sarwar continuing as leader, noting voters' perceptions.

Anas Sarwar effectively declared defeat after seven seats had been announced, citing a national wave of disappointment.

Co-leader Ross Greer described the result as a historic day for the Greens.

The Greens backed up their gains in Glasgow Southside, Nicola Sturgeon's old seat, with 13 list MSPs.

Angus Robertson, a high-profile SNP figure, lost Edinburgh Central to Green candidate Lorna Slater in the party's first-ever constituency win there.

The SNP lost the Western Isles to Labour, and also lost seats in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The SNP captured Shetland, a seat held by the Lib Dems since 1999, marking a major scalp.

Reform's rise fractured the unionist vote and helped the SNP regain several constituency seats.

Reform leader described the party as 'challengers and scrutineers' of the Scottish government and emphasized issues on schools, roads, and day-to-day matters.

Reform performed far better on regional lists, gaining representation despite no constituency win.

Reform's best hope of a constituency victory was Banffshire and Buchan Coast, but the SNP won the seat by 364 votes.

Reform UK, led in Scotland by Malcolm Offord, had been predicted to become a major force at Holyrood after never having an MSP elected before.

Swinney said the public expectation will be for him to be returned as first minister and to lead a government.

The SNP is expected to return to government but will need help from other parties to pass legislation and reinstall Swinney as first minister.

There is a majority of parties at Holyrood who support Scottish independence, with the SNP and Greens totaling 73 of the 129 seats.

SNP leader John Swinney suggested that an SNP majority could pave the way for another independence referendum.

The Liberal Democrats returned 10 MSPs, gaining seats in various regions.

The Conservatives finished with 12 seats, losing their position as Holyrood's largest opposition party after a poor result.

The Scottish Greens won 15 seats, including their first ever constituency victories.

Labour finished a distant second on 17 seats, tied with Reform on 17 seats. The Scottish Greens won a record 15 seats.

The SNP won 58 seats in the Scottish Parliament, short of the 65 seats required for an outright majority. This marks the party's fifth consecutive term in government.

In a bid to head off pressure, Sir Keir Starmer wrote a piece for Saturday's Guardian in which he vowed to stay on course, said the party would unify rather than move left or right, and pledged to deliver Labour's 2024 mandate. He planned to reset his premiership next week once the dust had settled on the elections.

As counting continued, 22 Labour MPs publicly called for Sir Keir Starmer to stand down or set a timetable for his exit. Cabinet ministers posted supportive messages on X, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who said Starmer had a mandate to deliver change, along with Defence Secretary John Healey, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Ed Miliband. Unions backing Labour also urged an urgent meeting with the prime minister to discuss economic policy and strategy.

Conservatives also lost hundreds of councillors, with Reform UK taking former strongholds such as Brentwood, Tamworth, North East Lincolnshire and Essex. The party had some success in London, regaining control of Westminster from Labour and becoming the largest party in Wandsworth.

The Greens performed well in England, winning dozens of councillors and the Hackney mayoralty in London. Greens leader Zack Polanski said two-party politics was dead. The Liberal Democrats won control of Stockport and Portsmouth but lost Hull council.

Reform UK has made the biggest gains in England, taking control of councils in areas previously dominated by Labour and Conservatives. Party leader Nigel Farage described the results as a truly historic shift in British politics, vowing that the old era of Labour and Conservative domination had ended, speaking from Havering where Reform won a council.

In Scotland, the SNP extended its 19-year stint in power and remained the largest party but fell short of an overall majority. SNP minister Angus Robertson lost his Edinburgh seat to the Scottish Greens, who said they were buzzing at the prospect of gaining seats.

In Wales, Plaid Cymru won the most seats in the Senedd but fell short of an overall majority, with Reform UK coming second. It was the first time Labour had lost a national vote in Wales in more than a century, with the party reduced to a rump of nine members in an expanded Senedd. First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her seat and said she would step down as leader of the Welsh Labour Party.

Labour has lost more than 1,100 English council seats, including in its heartlands across northern England and the Midlands, and faces further difficult results as counting continues throughout Friday.

Labour recorded heavy losses across England, Scotland and Wales. Labour lost power in Wales, ending its 27-year rule, while the SNP remained the largest party in Scotland. Reform UK emerged as a big winner in England, taking control of councils in areas long considered Labour- or Conservative-dominated. The PNS poll put the Greens in second on 18%, with Labour and the Conservatives neck-and-neck in third on 17%.