On 7 May 2026, local elections took place in England, and Parliamentary elections took place for the devolved bodies in Scotland and Wales.

The Results

English Local Elections

• In England, Reform UK and the Green Party made major gains, whilst Labour and the Conservatives suffered heavy losses. 

  • Reform won +1451 councilors.

  • Labour lost -1498 councilors.

  • The Conservatives lost -563 councilors.

  • The Greens Party gained +441 councilors. 

  • The Liberal Democrats gained +155 councilors. 

• Under the leadership of Nigel Farage, Reform gained control of 14 councils for the first time, including Sunderland, Gateshead (areas of traditional Labour dominance) and Essex. The Greens gained control of their first councils and won the directly elected mayoralty in Hackney.

Scottish Devolved Elections

• In Scotland, the SNP remained the largest party, winning 58 seats but falling short of an outright majority (65 seats). 

• Reform rose to second place winning 17 seats, and the Greens achieved their best ever result with 15 seats, including their first constituency wins. 

  • Labour and the Conservatives recorded their worst Scottish Parliament performances, with Labour’s seat share falling for the sixth election in a row.

Welsh Devolved Elections

• The 2026 election in the Senedd was the first to use the new party-list proportional representation. Plaid Cymru became the largest party with 43 seats, and Reform UK secured second place with 34 seats, ending a century of Labour dominance in Wales. 

  • Welsh Labour fell to third place winning just 9 seats, losing government and its status as the largest party for the first time since devolution began in 1999. 

    • The Conservatives won just 7 seats, losing 22 and coming fourth.

Turnout

• Turnout in the 2026 Senedd election was 51.6% (up from 46.6% in 2021), rising above 50% for the first time in a devolved Welsh election. This suggests that devolution has been a success, as it has engaged voters with local democracy. 

• However, voter turnout for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election fell to 53.2%, a significant decrease of 10.1% from the record 63.5% in the 2021 election. 

  • This suggests widespread voter apathy and that many people have lost confidence in devolved institutions. This raises concerns that devolved governments with increasing powers lack popular support, creating a democratic deficit. 

• In England, turnout increased significantly in several councils, showing that voters are still willing to participate when they feel change is possible.

  • In Hackney, the Green Party won a historic landslide, taking control of the council and the elected mayor from Labour for the first time, winning 42 of 57 seats. Turnout was 40.98%, the highest for a mayoral contest since 2010 and up from the 31% turnout recorded at the 2025 local elections. 

  • In Sunderland, Reform UK gained control of the council from Labour, winning 58/75 seats. Voter turnout rose to 40.5%, considerably higher than the 30% turnout recorded during the area's last election in 2024.

    • Local election turnout in England is historically low (around 35%), however these increases suggest that low participation stems from frustration with traditional parties, and the rise of challengers can motivate voters.

How You Can Use The Results As Examples Of Electoral Systems

Additional Member System - Scottish Parliament

• The election was held under the Additional Member System, where voters cast two ballots: one for a local constituency representative (73 seats) and one for a regional party list (56 seats), ensuring overall seats more closely reflect the popular vote. 

  • The SNP won 38% of the vote and 58 constituency seats, so received no regional top-up seats, bringing their final seat share to 45%, more closely aligned with their vote. 

  • Reform UK won 15.8% of the vote but no constituency seats, so received 17 regional top-up seats, bringing their seat share to 13.2%

• The results also show how AMS allows voters to “split ticket”. The Green Party won just 2.3% of the constituency vote, but 14% of the proportional regional vote, demonstrating how PR systems encourage voters to support minor parties. . 

  • This also shows how proportional electoral systems lead to greater party fragmentation, as no party has a majority and all parties other than the SNP have fewer than 20 seats.

Party-List Proportional Representation - Senedd

You do not need to know about Party-List Proportional Representation for the exam!!!

• As no party won an overall majority, Plaid Cymru formed a minority government rather than a formal coalition. Instead, they plan to govern with only Plaid ministers, relying on informal cooperation and abstensions from other parties to pass legislation and budgets. 

  • This highlights a key weakness of proportional systems, as they often lead to no party securing an overall majority and minority governments who struggle to get consistent legislative support. 

    • As Plaid hold only 43 out of 96 seats, the government must negotiate with other parties on every bill, including the annual budget, since opposition parties can combine to defeat government motions.

• For the 2026 Senedd election, Wales moved to a fully proportional closed-list system. It is divided into 16 constituencies, each electing 6 members. Parties submit a ranked list of candidates for each area. 

  • Voters cannot pick specific individuals, instead voting for the party, and seats are filled according to order on each party’s list. 

• Seats are allocated based on the D’Hondt Formula based on each party’s share of the vote.

  • Plaid Cymru won 35% of the vote and 45% of seats

  • Reform won 29% of the vote and 35% of seats

  • Labour won 11% of votes and 9% of seats

• This shows how proportional electoral systems allow for the success of minor parties, as the distribution of seats in the legislature closely reflects each party’s overall share of the vote.

  • However, the system has been criticised for weakening the link between Welsh voters and their representatives. Voters cannot select a candidate of their choosing, losing the personal accountability of a constituency representative. 

How You Can Use The Results As Examples Of The Multi-Party System

• The May 2026 local and devolved elections marked a clear shift towards a multi-party system, signalling the collapse of 2 party dominance. 

  • In England, Reform UK were the largest party in terms of vote share (26%), winning more than 1400 councillors and majorities in several councils including Sunderland (where they won 58/75 seats), which had been Labour for 50 years. 

  • In Wales, Labour's historical dominance collapsed, and the party fell to just 9 representatives, and the Conservatives to just 7. Plaid Cymru received more votes than Labour and the Conservatives combined and the First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her own seat, coming just third place. 

How You Can Use The Results As Examples Of Factors In The Success Of Parties

• These results show how leadership is a crucial factor in party success. Public dissatisfaction with Starmer’s leadership played a major role in the collapse of Labour’s support. Conversely, Reform UK secured an unprecedented breakthrough due to Nigel Farage’s personal popularity and ability to command media attention. 

  • Under the leadership of Zack Polanski, the Green Party successfully repositioned itself  from a single-issue environmental group into a left-wing alternative to Labour, expanding their appeal beyond its traditional base. 

    • Both leaders capitalised on widespread public disaffection with traditional Labour and Conservative dominance, using highly personalised leadership styles to reach out to the electorate.

How You Can Use The Results As Examples Of Devolution

• Following the May 2026 elections, pro-independence nationalist parties became the dominant partners in all 3 of the devolved legislatures. The SNP remained the largest party in Holyrood, Plaid Cymru became the largest party in the Senedd and Sinn Fein is the largest party in Northern Ireland. 

  • This shows how devolution can undermine the unity of the UK, as although it was initially intended to preserve the union, it has instead provided a platform for separatism, empowering parties to campaign for full independence. 

    • Nationalist parties like the SNP and Plaid Cymru can use devolved institutions to build a record of governance, which they can use to argue for greater autonomy or independence.