How Labour’s ‘terrible’ night unfolded as Reform surges and Greens and Lib Dems hail wins

T he polls had been terrible, the predictions dire and even one of his predecessors as Labour leader, Ed Miliband, had reportedly told Keir Starmer he should set a timetable for his resignation if the results were as bad as they looked. But for the prime minister, as polling stations closed in Wales, Scotland and many parts of England, there would be no consideration of such a course. …