Reform earned 677 council seats despite entering the election with zero councillors in the areas where 1,600 seats were being contested.
The party also won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, while Andrea Jenkyns and Luke Campbell were elected as the mayors of Greater Lincolnshire and Hull & East Yorkshire respectively.
As for Labour, who formed a government following last year’s general election, the party’s estimated national vote share dropped to 20% according to BBC calculations, while it lost two mayoralties and 187 council seats that it had held previously.
Based on the same calculations, Reform secured 30% of the vote share, with the Conservatives on 15%, behind the Liberal Democrats on 17% and ahead of the Green Party on 11%.
Prime minister Keir Starmer said the results were disappointing, adding that Labour would look to deliver change faster.
The party has faced criticism from the food and drink sector after raising National Insurance contributions by employers from 13.8% to 15% during the October Budget. Several firms have cited this policy when announcing job cuts or closures, including St Austell Brewery, Berry Bros & Rudd and The Crusty Cob.
Labour was also in receipt of criticism from the industry following the Spring Statement, which was announced in March.
Speaking in the wake of the local election results, Rupert Ashby, the chief executive of the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), said: “While the Labour party will be reflecting on the verdict that voters delivered in the elections, for many local councils across the UK the results herald a fresh start. As these new administrations look at how best to serve their communities,
“I would urge them to recognise the valuable role frozen food can play — particularly in school catering. Frozen offers consistent quality, reduces waste, and is often more affordable than fresh alternatives, making it an ideal choice for providing nutritious meals to children while managing tight budgets.
“They will also need to work closely with central government to help inform and shape national food policy as it develops.”
Elsewhere, the Conservatives lost 674 council seats and ended on 319, but did gain the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough mayoralty from Labour.
The Conservatives lost a number of seats in the general election last year and does not seems to have arrested its decline in popularity since under new leader Kemi Badenoch.
Finally, the Liberal Democrats had 370 councillors elected in a strong result for the party, while the Green Party won 79 council seats.
Liberal Democrats leader hailed his party for finishing second in seats gained behind only Reform and called it “the party of middle England”.
