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Labour has lost control of Birmingham City Council after 14 years, prompting the Home Secretary to describe the outcome as “a devastating night in Birmingham and across the country”.
Counting for the remaining seats was halted on Friday night with no party securing an overall majority amid a fragmented five-party split.
The end of Labour’s long-standing leadership in the city followed significant gains by Reform, the Green Party, and a block of independent candidates.
Shabana Mahmood, the Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010, acknowledged the setback, stating that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “has rightly said we must do better”.
John Cotton wants his successor to prioritise the bin strike dispute in Birmingham (PA)
With two of the 101 seats still to be decided, Reform had secured 22 seats, the Green Party 19, Labour 17, Conservatives 16, independents 13, and the Liberal Democrats 12. None of the parties came close to the 51 seats required for a majority.
Rob Connelly, the returning officer, confirmed that the count for the outstanding Glebe Farm and Tile Cross ward, which has undergone several recounts, would resume on Monday.
Late on Friday, the Home Secretary posted on X: “A devastating night in Birmingham and across the country. Good public servants, colleagues and friends have lost their seats. This was a verdict on us not them. The PM has rightly said we must do better. It is a privilege to serve the British people and we must live up to it.”
The outgoing Labour leader of the council, John Cotton, whose administration oversaw a protracted bin strike, urged his successor to prioritise a resolution to the dispute. The bitter 14-month disagreement over pay and jobs led to rubbish accumulating on the streets, with residents raising concerns about public health.
There has been a dispute over the bin service in Birmingham (PA Wire)
Speaking after Labour’s vote share collapsed, Mr Cotton said his administration had made difficult decisions to stabilise the city’s finances.
He appealed to the incoming leadership: “I would encourage the next administration to build on those foundations and not to engage in acts that would take us back to some of the mistakes that have dogged Birmingham in the past.
“Around a week or so ago I set out the terms of a deal that I believe will bring these strikes to a close. Whoever occupies the leader’s chair, as I move away from it… needs to ensure they take that deal through as a priority. So we can bring this to a close and the people of Birmingham get the bin service they deserve.”
