Elections 2026 live: counting under way after votes in England, Scotland and Wales

Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Keir Starmer has thanked party activists after polls closed. In a post on X, the prime minister said: double quotation mark To all the Labour members and volunteers who have supported local campaigns across the country: thank you.Together we will build a stronger and fairer Britain. These elections are widely seen as the biggest test for his premiership since the general election. What to look out for in Scotland Libby Brooks is the Guardian’s Scotland correspondent Although the incumbent Scottish National party is cruising towards a gravity-defying fifth term in office, the fine detail of the results and the subsequent makeup of the Holyrood chamber remains exceptionally unpredictable. Polls this week showed Reform UK, which has gained considerable momentum in Scotland over the past 18 months, was neck and neck for second place with Scottish Labour, whose rating have suffered from growing public dissatisfaction with the UK Labour government, despite its leader, Anas Sarwar, taking the career-defining decision to call for Starmer to stand aside in February. Many constituency seats are in the balance, and the SNP is by no means guaranteed a majority. It could then turn to the Scottish Greens – who are anticipating a strong showing thanks in part to a Polanski bounce, although the Green Party of England and Wales is a separate entity – for support to create a pro-independence majority at Holyrood. …