Local elections live: Millions head to polls across England to elect local councillors and mayors – as Reform aim to deal major blow to Keir Starmer

Party leaders have issued a final plea for Brits to go out and vote as they come home from work – with Nigel Farage saying ‘it’s not too late!’

Kemi Bedenoch said: ‘You’ve still got time to vote Conservative’, adding ‘Bring your ID!’

It comes as the clocks tick down for all hopefuls before polls close at 10pm.

Party leaders have issued a final plea for Brits to go out and vote as they come home from work – with Nigel Farage saying ‘it’s not too late!’

Kemi Bedenoch said: ‘You’ve still got time to vote Conservative’, adding ‘Bring your ID!’

It comes as the clocks tick down for all hopefuls before polls close at 10pm.

Forget the usual political heavyweights – this May, it’s the battle of the heartthrobs as two of Britain’s most photogenic candidates step into the political ring.

In one corner stands Carl Cashman, the chiselled, clean-cut leader of the Liverpool Liberal Democrats, already turning heads across Merseyside with his youthful energy and good looks.

In the other? None other than Luke Campbell MBE – Olympic boxing champion turned political hopeful – stepping into the electoral ring for Reform UK in Hull & East Yorkshire.

Although both men have been keenly doorstepping their local constituents to gain momentum for their policies ahead of the election – social media users have been quick to comment on their stunning looks.

One user said: ‘If all scousers are like Carl, I’ll need to think seriously about moving from London to Liverpool.’

Another added: ‘I know there is a civil war or whatever but you’re very good looking.’

Wile a third put it bluntly: ‘You are very good looking.’

The Conservartives have taunted by Labour by claiming voters will ‘deliver gains of net zero seats’ at the local elections just hours before polls close.

Speaking in the Commons this afternoon, shadow minister Paul Holmes said the government’s ‘kamikaze’ environmental policies will hurt them at the ballot box.

But Commons Leader Lucy Powell countered by accusing the Tories of having a ‘blinkered vision’ on the ‘opportunity of net zero”’, adding Kemi Badenoch’s leadership is being ‘backseat driven’ by shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick.

The Commons clash occurred as Labour faces a twin challenge of council and mayoral elections across England and a by-election in Runcorn and Helsby, a seat Labour won convincingly in 2024 but that is expected to go down to the wire in a contest with Reform UK.

Voters will have until 10pm on Thursday to cast their ballots.

Let’s remind ourselves of the mayoral races targeted by Reform leader Nigel Farage after he claimed his party could win three out of the six up for grabs today.

Speaking to Sky News’ Political Editor Beth Rigby, Farage said he was confident Reform would win the inaugural mayoralty in Hull and East Yorkshire.

Luke Campbell, a former professional boxer and 2012 gold medalist, is Reform’s candidate in the election and was described as a ‘local hero’ by Farage.

Farage added he was ‘reasonably confident’ that Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who defected to Reform from the Conservatives, last year would win in Lincolnshire.

He also added the race in Doncaster could be decided on a ‘spin of a coin’ with Alexander Jones representing Reform.

Farage also said he was ‘optimistic’ of the party’s chances in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election in what is expected to be a close contest with Labour.

We’ve brought you pictures of dogs earlier today and with five hours to go until polls close, we’ve decided to bring you some more.

Here’s the dogs at polling stations class of 2025.

Niall Cook took a picture of his Airedale Terrier called Margo outside a polling station in Painswick, Gloucestershire.

The pair made their way to vote at roughly 8am, with Margo somewhat of a veteran when it comes to posing for photos on voting days.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Cook said:

She’s a bit of an old hand when it comes to voting, as she’s taken part in lots of #dogsatpollingstations before.

Over in Girton, Cambridgeshire, Andrew Smith, 54, and his 12-year-old Spinone Italiano called Hugo arrived at their polling station at around 7am.

Mr Smith, a university lecturer, told PA that Hugo had been going to polling stations since 2016, when the election was on his third birthday.

Yoshi, a 13-year-old Chinese Crested Powderpuff, was ‘excited’ to visit his first polling station, alongside owner Jodie Cade.

Ms Cade, 42, voted in Rothwell, Northamptonshire, at around 8.30am said:

(Yoshi) was hoping that by showing off his photo on his social media, it would encourage others to get out and vote, even if you’re not sure who to vote for, we say go with your heart and who you feels cares the most about the area you live in rather than what’s going on nationwide

It is being reported that an election for two seats on North Northamptonshire Council has been suspended following the death of a candidate.

John Ratcliffe was due to stand for the Liberal Democrats to contest seats in the Higham Ferrers ward where 11 candidates have been put forward.

The entire council is up for election today but the Higham Ferrers vote will take place at a later date.

In comments obtained by the BBC, the council’s returning officer Adele Wylie said:

We send our sincere condolences to John’s family and our thoughts are with them at this sad time.

By law, we must now postpone the election for Higham Ferrers ward on North Northamptonshire Council. The other candidates and electors have been made aware.

A female voters in Oxfordshire has arrived at the polling station with an umbrella to shield herself from the sun during the hottest ever start to May.

These photographs show people casting their ballots in Henley-on-Thames as 69 seats are contested on Oxfordshire County Council.

The Met Office has confirmed that today is the warmest start to May on record after a 28C temperature was recorded at Kew Gardens in south west London.

It beats the previous record of 27.4C set at Lossiemouth in Scotland in 1990

England has a total of 317 councils with the majority not holding elections today.

Local governments do one of the following:

• Elect all the local councillors every 4 years
• Elect half the local councillors every 2 years
• Elect one third of the local councillors every year for 3 years and hold no elections in the 4th year

Initiall, all 21 county councils were due to hold elections this year but in December the Government said local authorities could request to postpone them to help deliver both reorganisation and devolution.

In total , 16 county councils and two unitary authorities requested their elections be postponed.

In February, the Government announced elections in nine areas, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Thurrock, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, would be postponed to May next year.

To see whether your area is holding elections read the article below to access our postcode checker:

More than 1,600 seats are up for grabs today across 23 local authorities including 14 county councils, eight unitary authorities and one metropolitan.

Some races will be close with overall control of some councils expected to change party.

We’ve looked at five key elections to look out for on Friday:

Traditionally a safe Conservative council with the party holding a majority in the county since 1974. Currently the Tories have 105 of 147 seats but Kemi Badenoch has conceded the party faces a difficult set of results. Losing overall control would be disastrous.

The only metropolitan council to hold elections today and the only one Labour is defending. Currently, Labour holds 41 out of 55 seats but with possible towards the government and surging support for Reform, could they face losing the town hall. The mayoral election is expected to be close between Labour and Reform as well

The Liberal Democrats have made strong progress in the South West and have history of overturning huge Conservative majorities in Devon. At the moment, the Lib Dems are second with nine seats but will hope to push for overall control.

The Conservatives hold a lead in Lancashire and could face challenges from Labour and Reform. The Tories have 46 out of 84 seats and will hope to retain control.

Another tough test for the Conservatives who hold 34 of the council’s 66 seats. Will face challenges from Labour, Reform and the Ashfield Independents who have 10.

Political researchers More In Common showed the electorate for this year’s local elections held a withering verdict of all the major parties

Think of a polling station and the usual idea is heading down to the local church or community hall to cast your vote come election time.

But some polling stations are far more intriguing with sports clubs and even a caravan acting as venues for local democracy today.

In Cambridge, this white caravan will act as a polling station today while Ormskirk Cricket Club is the place for voters in Lancashire.

According to the Electoral Commission, Ppolling stations must be set up to enable voters to cast their ballots in secret but also allow staff to detect whether someone is trying to influence fellow voters.

Guidance also states people should be dissuaded from taking selfies inside polling station in the event they breach electoral law.

Senior Tory and Reform figures may be flirting with the idea of uniting rightwing parties at the next election to see off Labour, but there is little appetite for a formal merger between the parties, a new poll has suggested.

A survey of those who voted for the parties in 2024, and those who plan to vote for them now, found lukewarm support for them joining forces fully.

Just 45 per cent of current Reform UK voters would support a merger of the party with the Conservatives, while 43 per cent are opposed to the idea.

And support is even lower among current Tories, with 38 per cent in favour, with 45 per cent opposed.

In addition, the proportion of 2024 Conservative voters in favour of a merger has fallen from 47 per cent to 43 per cent since January.

The two parties are vying for votes in today’s local elections.

In what has become a British election tradition, dogs have been photographed outside polling stations.

Basking in the sunshine, pets are being pictured on another sweltering day this week in what is likely to be the hottest ever start to May.

Dogs have become an increasingly popular sight at polling stations courtesy of social media with the hashtag #dogsatpollingstations often appearing on election days.

The main party leaders traded blows over grooming gangs, immigration and Donald Trump today on the eve of local elections.

Kemi Badenoch used PMQs to lay into Keir Starmer for refusing to launch a national inquiry into ‘rape gangs’, while the Prime Minister insisted today’s vote would be a verdict on her leadership..

Nigel Farage focused on Channel boats, accusing the premier of allowing in thousands of ‘young undocumented males’ from ‘alien’ countries.

Meanwhile, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey demanded a Commons vote on any trade deal struck with the US.

Read the full story on what happened in the Commons here:

Here is the full list of expected times the results in the local elections will be declared on Friday:

According to early estimates, the first set of results could be declared at 2am in the mayoral elections in North Tyneside and the West of England.

And the final ones are expected in Kent and West Northamptonshire at 7pm.

Here’s the full list below:

• Buckinghamshire – 3pm
• Cambridgeshire – 6pm
• Cornwall – 6pm
• Derbyshire – 4:30pm
• Devon – 6pm
• Doncaster – 3pm
• Durham – 1pm
• Gloucestershire – 4pm
• Hertfordshire – 4pm
• Kent – 7pm
• Lancashire – 1:45pm
• Leicestershire – 3pm
• Lincolnshire – 5pm
• North Northamptonshire – 5pm
• Northumberland – 7am
• Nottinghamshire – 5pm
• Oxfordshire – 5pm
• Shropshire – 4pm
• Staffordshire – 4pm
• Warwickshire – 5pm
• West Northamptonshire – 7pm
• Wiltshire – 6pm
• Worcestershire – 5pm

• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough – 3pm
• Doncaster – 5am
• Greater Lincolnshire -3:30am
• Hull & East Yorkshire – 2:30pm
• North Tyneside – 2am
• West of England – 2am

Parliamentary by-election

All the main party leaders in England have posted on social media encouraging people to head to polling stations today.

Sir Keir Starmer said Labour councillors, mayors and MPs were working together to bring change in contrast to ‘chaos and division’ with other parties.

Kemi Badenoch urged people to tick Conservative to protect local services.

Ed Davey said supporting the Liberal Democrats would be a vote for ‘local champions’ who will stand up for communities.

Meanhwile Green co-leaders Adrian Ramsey and Carla Denyer shared tweets posted from the party urging people not to forget their ID when heading out to vote.

Reform leader Nigel Farage has shared a video of himself visiting a barbers as the country heads to the polls.

Walking along the street, Mr Farage is seen pointing at a premises before remarking, ‘there’s a barbers that’s not Turkish’.

Speaking to the business owner inside, Mr Farage tells him how ‘literally thousands’ of Turkish barbershops have sprung up across the country, describing it as an ‘absolute racket’.

Speaking in the video, he says:

So there you are, we have found a barbers shop that doesn’t have a Turkish sign out the front.. that actually has customers and there was no Lamborghini out the back.. isn’t that unusual in modern Britain.

As the video fades away, Mr Farage is heard saying: ‘God the stick I’m going to get for that’.

The Conservatives have the most to lose from today’s local elections with the party defending nearly 1,000 seats which were won four years ago.

In contrast, Labour are hoping to hold around 285 seats, and the Liberal Democrats just over 200.

The Tories won a huge amount of seats in May 2021 while enjoying a spike in popularity under then-PM Boris Johnson in the wake of the Covid vaccine roll out.

Lord Robert Hayward, a Conservative peer and top pollster, said he expects the Tories to lose between 475 to 525 councillors.

All this year’s mayoral elections are being held using the first-past-the-post system – the same as for parliamentary elections – which is different to 2021, when voters could express a first and second preference.

Let’s take a look at each race and when the results are expected on Friday:

• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough

Labour’s Nik Johnson won here in 2021 but he is not standing this time.

The Conservatives will be hoping for a repeat of the success when they won in 2017, but the Lib Dems performed strongly in this area at the general election and it could be a close three-way contest.

All this year’s mayoral elections are being held using the first-past-the-post system – the same as for parliamentary elections – which is different to 2021, when voters could express a first and second preference.

Ros Jones has been the Labour mayor of Doncaster since 2013 and is hoping to be re-elected for what would a fourth term in office.

Ms Jones won comfortably at the previous election in 2021 with the Tories finishing second, but a greater number of candidates are standing this year, which may lead to a closer result.

This is one of two new mayoral positions that are being contested for the first time this year.

All the main parties are fielding candidates here, but given the electoral history of the area it is likely to be a two-horse race between the Conservatives and Reform.

The Tories have picked the leader of North Lincolnshire council Rob Waltham, while the Reform candidate is former Tory MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns.

Result expected at 3.30am

The second of this year’s new mayoral positions is being contested by all the main parties.

The outcome is hard to predict, with the Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems all having support in different parts of the region but Nigel Farage has insisted he is ‘confident’ of victory.

Reform have picked the former boxer and Olympic medallist Luke Campbell as candidate.

Result expected at 2.30pm

Norma Redfearn has been the Labour mayor here since 2013, but she is not standing this time.

The area is one of Labour’s north-east heartlands and the party’s candidate Karen Clark is favourite to win, though a low turnout could mean the result is closer than expected.

Dan Norris won here for Labour in 2021 but he is not standing this time.

The role covers Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire and takes in areas of the country where Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens all enjoyed success at the 2024 general election.

Labour’s chances may be affected by Mr Norris’s recent suspension from the party after he was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences.

Voters are being urged to remember their ID when they go to polling stations on Thursday, which they will need to show before they can receive a ballot paper.

Accepted forms of ID include:

• A UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Commonwealth passport
• A UK or EEA drivers’ licence
• Some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card
• An HM Armed Forces Veteran Card
• The free Voter Authority Certificate.

Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.

Niki Nixon, director of communications at the Electoral Commission, said: ‘If you’re going along to your polling station to vote on Thursday, don’t forget your photo ID, you’ll need to show it before you can be given your ballot paper.

‘Check you have it with you before heading to the polling station, so that you don’t have to return later in the day.

‘If you lose your ID, or your Voter Authority Certificate does not arrive in time, you can appoint an emergency proxy to vote on your behalf.

‘You will need to contact your council to arrange this before 5pm on election day, and the person you appoint will need their own acceptable photo ID.’

Here are some pictures we can show you of voters, some with their dogs, heading to the polls across England after stations opened at 7am.

Just a reminder that people are today voting in 23 local, six mayoral and one parliamentary by-election.

Research by More in Common earlier this week found that Reform ahead overall in the battlegrounds, with 26 per cent support.

The Conservatives were second on 25 per cent.

Labour had 18 per cent backing, the Lib Dems 17 per cent, and the Greens 8 per cent.

More In Common also asked voters who they thought would be most effective in governing the country with 41 per cent responding: ‘None of the above’.

The second most popular choice was Reform’s Nigel Farage with 23 per cent, followed by the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, with 19 per cent.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was third with 8 per cent, the Lib Dems’ Ed Davey was on 6 per cent and the Greens’ co-leaders, Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, coming last with 2 per cent.

People with an armed forces veteran card can use it as photo ID for the first time in today’s elections in England, following a change in the law.

There are only certain kinds of photo identification that will be accepted at polling stations and voters without the correct ID will be turned away.

A passport, driving licence photocard or blue badge are all valid, as is an older person’s bus pass.

The veteran card is now also accepted, after the rules on photo ID were updated in October 2024.

The card is a formal recognition of military service and can be used by veterans to get easier access to support from the NHS, charities and local authorities.

Mike Amesbury quit as a Labour MP following an assault conviction

Alongside the local and mayoral elections today, voters in the Cheshire constituency of Runcorn & Helsby will also choose their next MP in the first parliamentary by-election since Labour came to power last July.

The now former MP pleaded guilty in January to assaulting constituent Paul Fellows, 45, after a row in the street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26.

Footage showed Mr Amesbury punching Mr Fellows to the head, knocking him to the ground, then following him on to the road and starting to punch him again, at least five times.

He was given a 10-week prison term, which was reduced to a suspended sentence after an appeal.

Here is the full list of 15 candidates standing in the by-election:

• Catherine Anne Blaiklock (English Democrats)
• Dan Clarke (Liberal Party)
• Chris Copeman (Green Party)
• Paul Duffy (Liberal Democrats)
• Peter Ford (Workers Party)
• Howling Laud Hope (Monster Raving Loony Party)
• Sean Houlston (Conservatives)
• Jason Philip Hughes (Volt UK)
• Alan McKie (Independent)
• Graham Harry Moore (English Constitution Party)
• Paul Andrew Murphy (Social Democratic Party)
• Sarah Pochin (Reform)
• Karen Shore (Labour)
• John Stevens (Rejoin EU)

Sir Keir Starmer and actor Ross Kemp at the Labour headquarters in London

An ex-Labour adviser warned the party is ‘toast’ on the eve of polling day as it faces its first electoral test since taking power last July.

John McTernan, who was a senior No 10 adviser to Tony Blair, yesterday warned Labour was set to take a beating because of the Government’s unpopularity.

Labour are toast. There’s nothing that can be done in the next 24 hours that can change the election results.You look at all the focus groups, if you go to any of them, what do people associate the Labour Party with?

A Labour source dismissed Mr McTernan’s criticism, but acknowledged the party faced a ‘difficult’ set of elections

In a final message to voters ahead of the polls opening, Labour chairwoman Ellie Reeves insisted the Government’s plan was ‘starting to deliver’.

As voters head to the polls today, there’s a clear choice between Labour with a plan for change to deliver the security working people deserve and renewal for our country, or more of the same chaos voters rejected last year with the Tories and Reform.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is bracing for heavy losses in the local elections which could result in the loss of some councils.

Yesterday, she acknowledged a ‘plague on all your houses vibe’ among voters about the traditional parties.

But Mrs Badenoch’s spokesman insisted she would not resign, regardless of how bad the losses may be.

Mrs Badenoch conceded the scale of the Conservative victory when these councils were last up for election in 2021 means losses are likely.

But in her final message to voters, she said:

If you want a great council, don’t just hope for it, vote for it. Vote Conservative because Conservative councils deliver better services for lower taxes across the board.

Nigel Farage told a rally in Staffordshire last night that the elections would see his party eclipse the Conservatives as the main opposition party in England.

Predicting a political ‘earthquake’, he said: ‘Tomorrow is the day that two-party politics in England dies for good.’

In an interview with Sky News, he said he also expected Reform to win ‘two or three’ of the six mayoralties up for election on Thursday, saying he was ‘confident’ of a win in Hull and ‘reasonably confident’ of victory in Lincolnshire.

He also said he was ‘optimistic’ about the Runcorn and Helsby by-election but stopped short of predicting a win.

Polling yesterday suggested Reform is set to win in the inaugural mayoral contests in both Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire.

The YouGov poll suggested outspoken former Tory education minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who defected to Reform last year, is set to secure 40 per cent of vote in Lincolnshire – well ahead of her Tory rival on 25 per cent.

In Hull and East Yorkshire, Reform’s Luke Campbell is on 35 per cent, 15 points clear of his rival. The poll also suggested Labour is set to lose the West of England mayoral contest to the Greens.

Experts have suggested the Tories could lose around 500 seats, with gains for the Liberal Democrats and, especially, Reform.

A woman heads to a polling station in Hertfordshire

A total of 1,641 council seats are up for grabs across 23 local authorities, while four regional mayors and two local mayors will be elected.

A parliamentary by-election is also taking place to choose a new MP for the constituency of Runcorn & Helsby.

Let’s take a look at where polling stations have opened:

Of the 23 local authorities holding elections, 14 are county councils:

• Cambridgeshire
• Derbyshire
• Devon
• Gloucestershire
• Hertfordshire
• Kent
• Lancashire
• Leicestershire
• Lincolnshire
• Nottinghamshire
• Oxfordshire
• Staffordshire
• Warwickshire
• Worcestershire

Polls are also taking place in eight unitary authorities:

• Buckinghamshire
• Cornwall
• Durham
• North Northamptonshire
• Northumberland
• Shropshire
• West Northamptonshire
• Wiltshire

In addition, one metropolitan council

Four combined-authority mayors are being elected for:

• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough
• Greater Lincolnshire
• Hull & East Yorkshire
• West of England

In addition, two single-authority mayors are being elected:

Parliamentary by-election

Reform is poised to sweep to victory in two major mayoral contests today, as a former Labour adviser warned that Sir Keir Starmer’s party is ‘toast’ in local elections.

Polling yesterday suggested Nigel Farage’s party is on course to have two mayors, in Lincolnshire and Hull, with Labour pushed into third place in both.

Bookmakers have also installed Reform as odds-on favourites to seize one of Labour’s safest parliamentary seats in Runcorn and Helsby in a by-election.

John McTernan, who was a senior No 10 adviser to Tony Blair, yesterday warned Labour was set to take a beating because of the Government’s unpopularity

Read the full story here:

Hello and welcome to MailOnline’s live coverage as voters across England head to the polls for council and mayoral as well as the Runcorn & Helsby by-election.

Polling stations opened at 7am with a total of 1,641 council seats are up for grabs across 23 local authorities, while four regional mayors and two local mayors will be elected.

A parliamentary by-election is also taking place to choose a new MP for the constituency of Runcorn & Helsby following the resignation of former Labour representative Mike Amesbury following an assault conviction.

Voting closes tonight at 10pm.

Most of the council seats were last contested in May 2021, at a time when the then-Conservative government, led by former prime minister Boris Johnson, was enjoying a spike in popularity following the successful rollout of the first Covid-19 vaccines.

Join us throughout the day for the latest updates on polling day with results to be declared in the early hours tomorrow.