UPDATE - British premier admits ‘disappointing’ local government election results for Labour

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By Aysu Bicer and Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged on Friday his party's difficulties in the local government elections, following results that showed gains for Reform UK, a right-wing populist political party.

Reform UK won its first parliamentary by-election, defeating Labour in Runcorn and Helsby by only six votes—the closest by-election victory in modern history.

Sarah Pochin, the party's candidate, increased Reform's vote share by more than 20% to win the seat, dealing a significant blow to Labour's recent electoral momentum.

During an interview with the BBC, he said: “The message I take out of these elections is that we need to go further and we need to go faster on the change that people want to see.”

Starmer added that the "tough decisions" made in the budget are now “starting to bear fruit.”

Despite Labour successfully defending three mayoralties, Starmer admitted the overall results were “disappointing.”

Within Labour’s ranks, criticism is mounting. Left-wing MP Kim Johnson issued a warning on social media following the Runcorn result.

“Runcorn is a warning we can’t ignore. Voters want change—and if we don’t offer it with bold, hopeful policies that rebuild trust, the far right will,” she wrote.

“If we don’t step up now, the alternative won’t be more of the same—it’ll be an extreme right-wing government.”

Meanwhile, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, whose party has lost 542 seats, said she is "determined to win back" trust.

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey stated that his party is "the party of middle England."

“Last year the Liberal Democrats won a record number of MPs and became the largest third party in 100 years. Now we are on course for our seventh year of local election gains, making this our best ever winning streak," added Davey.

Reform UK, which emerged from the Brexit Party, has continued to broaden its platform beyond Euroscepticism.

The party campaigns for tough immigration controls, arguing current levels are “out of control and damaging the country.”

Its economic stance includes scrapping net-zero targets, criticized by leader Nigel Farage as job killers that drive up household bills.

At the local level, Reform UK has pledged to emulate Elon Musk’s cost-cutting strategies in the US, promising to bring in auditors to identify wasteful government spending.

The party’s momentum extended beyond Runcorn.

In the Greater Lincolnshire mayoral race, Reform UK scored a significant victory with former Conservative MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns winning by nearly 40,000 votes.

It marks a major step forward for a party that until recently had no significant elected representation at national or regional levels.

Votes are still being counted in more than 1,600 council seats across England, with full results expected later.

On the basis of the results, Reform UK has 30% of the projected national vote share, with Labour at 20%, the Liberal Democrats has 17%, the Conservative Party at 15% and the Greens with 11%, according to the BBC, citing polling expert John Curtice.

Councils will continue to declare results until late Friday, Reform UK won 560 councillors, Liberal Democrats 314, the Conservatives 250, Labour Party 76, the Greens 69 and 79 independents.