Sir Keir Starmer has issued a last plea to voters in what could be a last stand for his premiership, with Labour expected to suffer huge losses when voters go to the polls in the local elections on Thursday.
The prime minister, who has largely been absent from Labour’s local and devolved election campaign, urged voters to embrace “unity over division” in the face of Nigel Farage’s Reform and Zack Polanski’s Green Party – as both parties are expected to make sweeping gains.
But the appeal for unity will also be seen as one to members of his own party, as rivals, including former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and health secretary Wes Streeting, are already understood to be circling in preparation for a leadership challenge.
Sir Keir has already made it clear that he will fight any leadership election if one is forced, but was hit with a stinging attack by Welsh Labour leader Baroness Eluned Morgan, blaming him personally as the party looks set to lose control of Wales for the first time since devolution began in 1999.
But with voters set to go to cast their ballot, Sir Keir urged them not to turn their backs on Labour.
He said: “Today, when you put your vote in the ballot box, you face a clear choice. Progress and a better future for the community you call home, with a Labour council working with a Labour government. Versus the anger and division offered up by Reform or empty promises from the Greens.
“In tough times, you need politicians who will always stand up for you and your family. Time and again, Nigel Farage and Zack Polanski have shown they are not fit to meet this moment of great global instability. Today I pledge firmly to you: whatever the pressure, Labour will always back you and your family and we will never waver from doing what is in Britain’s national interest.”
He added: “Back action to ease the cost of living. Back our NHS. Back a better future for your local community.
“Today, choose unity over division. Vote Labour.”
An eve-of-election YouGov poll revealed that Reform is ahead on 25 per cent, with Labour a distant second on 18 per cent, just one point ahead of Kemi Badenoch’s Tories on 17 per cent.
Already, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has demanded that Sir Keir stand aside as leader in the fallout from the Peter Mandelson scandal. YouGov suggests the SNP will win again there and Reform will push Labour into a humiliating third place.
In Wales, Plaid Cymru is expected to seize control of the Senedd, with Reform in a clear second place and Labour a distant third.
Meanwhile, in London, the Greens are expected to make huge gains at Labour’s expense, despite continued claims of antisemitism in the party and anger over comments by Mr Polanski in the fallout of the Golders Green terror attack that prompted a row with the Metropolitan Police chief.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is bracing for losses of up to 600 council seats. In her eve-of-poll message, she insisted she was leading a “new party” and hoped for some eye-catching successes when results come through on Friday, but acknowledged that the old era of Tory and Labour national dominance was over.
She said: “Under my leadership the Conservative Party has changed. We know where we went wrong and we’re fixing it.
“We are the only party with the plan, the team and the backbone to deliver a stronger economy and stronger country.
“These elections are on a knife edge. Every vote counts and yours could make the difference.”
Meanwhile, Mr Polanski was resisting claims that he is “a fantasist” after the British Red Cross challenged his claims that he was a spokesperson for the charity. He later rowed back and apologised, admitting he “used the wrong word”.
He also admitted in an interview on Radio 4’s Today programme that he is not ready to be prime minister.
He said: “I’m not ready right now. No, I’ve been a leader for eight months, and there’s lots of skills and lots of knowledge to get, and I think that’s fine. I think I’m a human being. I’m not perfect.”
When asked if he believed he would be ready in two years, he replied: “Well, we’ll see in two years’ time, won’t we? But I’ll certainly be putting in the work.”
Mr Farage came under pressure on Tuesday with new revelations that more council candidates for Reform UK support far-right activist Tommy Robinson and had made Islamophobic, racist and homophobic remarks. A party spokesperson said the allegations were being investigated.
In his final message, Mr Farage insisted that voting Reform was the best way to force Sir Keir out of Downing Street.
He said: “The Tories tried to remove the gutless Keir Starmer and failed.
“The only way to finally remove the most unpopular and unpatriotic prime minister in our lifetime is to back Reform.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also made a final rallying cry to voters, warning that there are “less than 24 hours to stop Reform” from bringing its brand of divisive politics to local councils across England.
He said: “We’ve now seen what Reform looks like in power – banning journalists, scrapping renewables, closing care homes and raising council tax despite their promises. Our communities can’t afford that chaos.”
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