"Voters in England, Scotland and Wales are casting their ballots in local elections where far-right and left-wing parties are projected to make gains, dealing a heavy blow to the governing Labour Party. The elections will determine the composition of some 5,000 local council seats, a number of mayoral positions across England, as well as seats in the Scottish and Welsh devolved parliaments."
"Starmer's popularity has plunged since he took office, with his government struggling to deliver economic growth, as households face a cost-of-living crisis in part caused by rising energy prices tied to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. He has also been embroiled in a scandal over Peter Mandelson, who was fired as United States ambassador over his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein."
"Opinion polls have suggested growing support for Greens Party leader Zack Polanski, a self-described eco-populist, and Nigel Farage, cofounder of right-wing Reform UK. Over the weekend, Starmer wrote on the online platform Substack: The answer to this moment, to the world we face today, is not passive government."
Millions of voters across England, Scotland, and Wales are participating in local elections determining approximately 5,000 council seats, mayoral positions, and devolved parliament seats. This represents a significant electoral challenge for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government, which won a landslide victory in 2024 but has since experienced declining popularity. Starmer's administration faces mounting pressure over economic stagnation, a cost-of-living crisis driven by rising energy prices linked to international conflicts, and a scandal involving former US ambassador Peter Mandelson's connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Polls indicate growing support for the Green Party and right-wing Reform UK, suggesting potential gains for both left-wing and far-right parties at Labour's expense. Voting occurs under the first-past-the-post system, with results expected overnight and Friday.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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