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Peter Rutland, Professor of Government, Wesleyan University

More than just a critical blow to Keir Starmer and Labour, local votes signal a dis-United Kingdom

Workers put up Union flags at Parliament Square in London as the premiership of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer looks increasingly threatened. AP Photo/ Kin Cheung

Local elections in Britain on May 7, 2026 – in which the ruling Labour Party suffered deep losses – revealed tectonic shifts.

The two-party system that has been operating there since 1721 has effectively turned into a five-party free-for-all.

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