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. “To all the Labour members and volunteers who have supported local campaigns across the country: thank you,” he posted on X late on Thursday. “Together we will build a stronger and fairer Britain.” Well, maybe. As the long night went on, result after result in overlit leisure centres across England suggested this was going to be every bit as dire a set of results for Labour – and its leader – as feared. Miliband’s spokesperson may have disputed, if not quite emphatically, reports that he had urged Starmer to consider his position, but before 2am the first Labour MP was saying so openly. It had been a “terrible” night for Labour , said an angry Jonathan Brash, the Hartlepool MP, for which he blamed “political cowardice” at the top. …