LABOUR left-wingers are demanding a change of course from party leadership after a poor result at the English local elections.
The party has lost more than 164 councillors this far, taking them to just 82 seats among those contested on Thursday. At the time of writing, 19 out of 23 councils had declared.
Meanwhile Reform and the LibDems have surged ahead – securing 595 and 356 councillors respectively.
There were reports of voters across England being particularly angered by UK Government decisions to cut PIP, the Winter Fuel Payment and put up National Insurance employer contributions.
But in the wake of the bad result, Keir Starmer did not suggest there would be a change of course for Labour.
“What I want to say is, my response is we get it," the Prime Minister said. “We were elected in last year to bring about change.”
He added that Labour have “started that work” with changes like reductions in NHS waiting lists, and added: “I am determined that we will go further and faster on the change that people want to see.”
Online, Labour veteran Diane Abbott expressed her frustrations. "Labour leadership saying the party will go further and faster in the same direction," she noted. "They don’t seem to understand that, it is our current direction that is the problem."
Mary Kelly Foy (below), the MP for Durham – which saw its historically Labour-run council go to Reform – said it wasn't too late for a different approach.
"The results in County Durham were completely avoidable, but what we've seen today is a direct result of the party leadership's political choices."
She went on: "It is not a sign of weakness, nor is it too late for the Government to change direction.
"Many people told me on the doorstep this week that they did not leave the Labour Party, but the party left them. That is heart breaking to hear in the Red Wall. I'll be making my feelings known to the party leadership again, as a matter of urgency.
"This cannot, and must not, continue."
Former shadow chancellor and fellow long-time Labour MP John McDonnell told BBC Radio 4: "People are just saying these are things no Labour government should be doing, and it's not, it isn't left or right or middle of the road, it's just ensuring that actually you respond to people's needs, and it is about investing in public services. But you don't raise the funds for that investment by cutting benefits and continuing on with austerity."
Emma Lewell, another long-serving MP who has represented South Shields in north-east England since 2013, added her voice to the calls for a "change of plan".
On X, she wrote: “Trust matters. If you promise people that you will be focused on serving the public and then do not listen to them, do not expect them to vote for you.
“Withdrawal of winter fuel, denial of compensation for the Waspi women, and proposed disability cuts, have all broken that trust.”
She added: “It is tone deaf to keep repeating we will move further and faster on our plan for change.
“What is needed is a change of plan.”
After final results were in from 16 of the 23 English councils holding elections, Reform had almost 500 councillors, after gaining 476 seats, with the Liberal Democrats in second place with 237, up 86.
The Tories had 199 seats, down 411, and Labour 56, after losing 137 seats, leaving Sir Keir Starmer’s party one behind the Greens, who were up 29, while independents had 55 councillors, down 61.
