What next for Labour after wholesale rejection in local elections?

Sir Keir Starmer says he is “hurt” but is “not going to walk away” after Labour lost hundreds of councillor seats, along with control of eight councils, in the local elections. With more than 40 of the 136 council results in, the party appears to be losing grip of its historic heartlands with major losses in Tameside, Hartlepool and Wigan, as pollsters predict more than 1,500 Labour council seats could be lost. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party has seen a surge in support, winning more than 300 seats. Why the local election results spell disaster for Keir Starmer. The Independent's political editor, David Maddox explains. Watch more on Independent TV: https://tinyurl.com/yc7ukx9n The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-Independent Find us on social: TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@independent Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/the.independent/ X (Twitter) / https://twitter.com/Independent Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/TheIndependentOnline Download the iOS & Android app: https://tinyurl.com/2s3ts5dh Sign up to our newsletters: https://tinyurl.com/2bmw565x Help to support truly independent journalism. Every dollar you contribute will directly fund additional special reports and investigations from a free-thinking, award-winning newsroom you can trust: https://www.independent.co.uk/donations