2026 Local elections

  1. Shift in UK politics to a multi-party system

  • Reform- 1,454 councillors, Lib-dem - 844 councillors, Green- 587 councillors

    • Labour- 1,068 councillors, Tories- 801 councillors

    • Reform generally polling around 25% nationally

  • Labour wiped out in wales - 35 reps in Senedd dropped down to 9

    • Plaid Cymru (43 seats), Reform (34 seats) in Wales

  • Scotland- SNP 58 seats in Holyrood- 65 needed for majority

  1. Proportional electoral systems

  • Lead to coalition govts- Plaid Cymru need to form coalition in Wales

  • More proportional (AMS)

    • SNP won 57 of constituency seats, D’Hondt formula gave one regional seat to SNP

      • SNP won around 45% of overall seats (58), and gained about 40% of the vote

    • Reform - rewarded with 17 regional seats- underrepresented in constituency seats

      • around 16% of vote and around 13% of seats- not perfect but more representative that FPTP

  1. Devolution’s failure to promote the unity of the UK

  • Growth of nationalist parties- SNP and Plaid Cymru

  • OR ability of devolved bodies to represent their own interests

  1. Low turnout- people feel unrepresented by devolved bodies?

  • 53% in Scotland

  • under 52% in Wales