Labour loses ground as Reform UK surges in British local elections

Britain's ruling Labour Party suffered major losses in local elections, while Reform UK made significant gains, according to final results released on Saturday.

In Thursday's elections, which covered around 5,000 council seats across 136 English councils as well as seats in the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, Labour lost almost 1,500 council seats in England and gave up control of around 40 local councils, including several traditional strongholds.

The opposition Conservatives also endured heavy losses, losing more than 500 council seats and winning just over 800 overall.

Reform UK emerged as one of the biggest winners of the elections, gaining more than 1,400 council seats and taking control of 14 local councils, many of them in traditional Labour or Conservative strongholds.

The Liberal Democrats also made gains, while the Green Party celebrated a strong showing, gaining hundreds of council seats and winning two new mayoralties in Hackney and Lewisham.

Zoe Garbett, the new mayor of Hackney, said people across London and the rest of the country had made clear they were desperate for an alternative to what she called a failing Labour government.

"I think that the Prime Minister should think hard about why Labour voters have moved to both the left and the right. But no, I don't think it's a matter for the Prime Minister to consider his position," said a resident in Hackney.

"I personally, as a 70-year-old coming up, I feel quite lost. I don't know what to do," another local said.

"I'd like him to (resign), but I don't know who's better than him, so I don't think there'll be anyone to replace him," said a pedestrian when asked whether she thinks Prime Minister Keir Starmer should resign.

"Definitely here in Hackney, we voted Green because we want our Hackney back," said another local.

In Scotland, the Scottish National Party remained the largest force in the 129-seat parliament, winning 58 seats but falling short of a majority. The Conservatives lost 19 seats, while Reform UK made significant gains, winning 17 seats to draw level with Labour.

In Wales, Labour suffered a historic setback, securing only nine seats in the expanded 96-seat Welsh Parliament. Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her seat on Friday and subsequently announced her resignation as leader of Welsh Labour.

Plaid Cymru became the largest party in the Welsh Parliament with 43 seats, followed by Reform UK with 34 seats.

Starmer said the results were "tough" even before the full results were released.

A growing number of Labour members of parliament are calling on Starmer to resign or plan for his resignation, but Starmer insisted that he is "not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos."

Speaking in Essex on his party's election victory, Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage said the results reflected "some truly historic shifts" in voting patterns in parts of the country.

Labour loses ground as Reform UK surges in British local elections

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's political stunts both at home and abroad cannot whitewash Japan's World War II (WWII) aggression, but instead expose the schemes of the country's far-right forces to incite bloc confrontation and promote remilitarization, says a China Media Group commentary published on Sunday.

An edited English version of the commentary is as follows:

In recent days, Takaichi has faced fierce criticism both domestically and internationally.

Her political stunt of kneeling in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier to lay flowers at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra during her visit to Australia further exposed her multiple political calculations to the international community.

Choosing to kneel in front of a tomb in Australia, Takaichi was not regretting for Japan's aggression and atrocities during World War II.

This act not only reveals the distorted world outlook of Japanese politicians, but also exposes their attempts to mislead public opinion, whitewash the crimes of WWII aggression, instigate bloc confrontation, and push for military buildup.

From "fawning diplomacy" during her U.S. visit in March to the recent kneeling show during her visit to Australia in May, Takaichi has been trying to cultivate a friendly image towards the West.

Geopolitically speaking, Japan's far-right forces are trying to expand their military and breach from the restraints of the pacifist constitution by exaggerating external threats. To this end, they are making every effort to exploit geopolitical conflicts and draw neighboring countries, especially Western countries, into bloc confrontation.

Since the end of WWII, Japanese leaders have never apologized to the people of victim countries such as China, the Republic of Korea, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Many Japanese politicians have even tried every means to justify the war crimes.

In particular, Takaichi has questioned the 1995 Murayama Statement, denied the Nanjing Massacre, visited the notorious Yasukuni Shrine annually for many consecutive years, and revived military rank titles during WWII, such as "taisa."

On the issue of Japan's history of aggression, Takaichi's insidious move cannot deceive the world.

Takaichi's political stunts both at home and abroad are a provocation against WWII victim countries in Asia and other regions.

This cannot conceal Japan's remilitarization attempt or the reality that " neo-militarism" is spreading and becoming a threat.

All countries that have suffered from Japanese militarist aggression should remain highly vigilant and united, and work together to safeguard the outcomes of WWII victory, so that historical tragedies never repeat themselves.

Takaichi's political stunts cannot whitewash Japan's history of aggression, remilitarization attempt: commentary