LONDON, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Right-wing party Reform UK made sweeping gains in Britain's local elections concluding on Friday, winning 10 out of 23 local councils for grabs. The result delivered a major blow to the country's two dominant parties -- the Conservatives and Labour.
Reform UK secured over 670 council seats, two mayoral victories, and a parliamentary by-election win in the voting taking place on Thursday across 23 councils, six mayoralties, and one parliamentary by-election, with results announced throughout Friday.
The Liberal Democrats also got positive results, gaining around 370 councillor seats. In contrast, the Conservatives suffered a net loss of over 670 seats, and Labour lost over 180.
The outcome was devastating for the Conservatives, who had been defending 18 councils but lost control of all of them.
Labour also faced setbacks, losing the single council and parliamentary seat it was defending.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Labour's narrow by-election defeat to the Reform UK party in Runcorn and Helsby as "disappointing," but vowed that his government would push "further and faster" on delivering change. ■