May elections live: millions cast their votes across England, Scotland and Wales
About 5,000 councillors and six mayors up for election in England, while Scotland chooses 129 MSPs, and Wales selects 96 members of the Senedd
LIVE Updated 28m agoAndrew SparrowThu 7 May 2026 04.03 EDTFirst published on Thu 7 May 2026 03.14 EDTShareKey events- 28m agoRhun ap Iorwerth urges people to vote Plaid Cymru for 'new leadership' in Wales with 'compassion and credibility'
- 35m agoJohn Swinney urges Scots to vote SNP for 'better future', to keep Farage out and for 'fresh start with independence'
- 41m agoPolanski urges people to vote Green 'to make life affordable for everyone'
- 45m agoDavey urges people to vote Lib Dem to protect country from Reform UK and 'Farage's Trump-style politics'
- 53m agoBadenoch urges people to vote Tory for 'better services and lower taxes', not 'chaos' under Labour and Reform UK
- 54m agoFarage urges people to vote for Reform UK to get rid of 'gutless' Starmer
- 1h agoStarmer says Farage and Polanski not fit to lead in era of 'global instability' as voting starts in England, Scotland and Wales
- 28m agoRhun ap Iorwerth urges people to vote Plaid Cymru for 'new leadership' in Wales with 'compassion and credibility'
- 35m agoJohn Swinney urges Scots to vote SNP for 'better future', to keep Farage out and for 'fresh start with independence'
- 41m agoPolanski urges people to vote Green 'to make life affordable for everyone'
- 45m agoDavey urges people to vote Lib Dem to protect country from Reform UK and 'Farage's Trump-style politics'
- 53m agoBadenoch urges people to vote Tory for 'better services and lower taxes', not 'chaos' under Labour and Reform UK
- 54m agoFarage urges people to vote for Reform UK to get rid of 'gutless' Starmer
- 1h agoStarmer says Farage and Polanski not fit to lead in era of 'global instability' as voting starts in England, Scotland and Wales
And here is the eve-of-poll statement that Rhun ap Iorwerth, the Plaid Cymru leader, issued yesterday.
double quotation markService is a value which has always sustained Wales. It’s a value instilled in me from a young age by my parents, both teachers. It’s a value I’ve sought to pass on to my children - the gift of giving back to the people and places who gave us so much.
Tomorrow is a chance for the people of Wales to choose who serves our nation for the next four years. It’s Plaid Cymru’s deep sense of service to Wales - focusing just on our needs and our future - that first drew me to politics.
We’re a party with no master in Westminster, no instructions to follow or interference - we take our cue from the people of Wales. And as your first minister, service is a value that would guide me every day.
Plaid Cymru offers new leadership defined not by scripts signed-off by others, but by loyalty to the people and communities who have shaped me. New leadership which places compassion and credibility at its heart, and which replaces the old way of doing things with new humility and real ambition for Wales.
So tomorrow, Wales can seize that chance, we can vote for a party ready and willing to serve you, the people of Wales, and for a first minister who will always put national interest before self-interest. Vote for Plaid Cymru.
Here is the message to Scots from John Swinney, the first minister and SNP leader.
double quotation markToday is Scotland’s opportunity to choose a better future by voting SNP for real action on the cost of living, to lock Nigel Farage out of power, and to secure a fresh start with independence.
I urge people in every part of Scotland to unite behind the SNP to make it happen.
The SNP is the only party that has set out a positive vision for Scotland’s future - and we are the only party with a serious plan to support people with the cost of living.
We have set out our plans to bring down food costs, give families more support with the cost of childcare, lower the cost of your daily commute and provide more support for first time buyers.
The SNP wants to lower your bills – but all the other parties want to do is stop us.
They have no plan of their own and nothing to offer. They want you to vote for an opposition to stop things happening. I am asking people to vote for an SNP Government to get things done.
By casting both votes for the SNP, Scotland can elect a strong majority SNP government that will always stand up for Scotland, prioritise the cost of living, and deliver that fresh start of independence that Scotland needs.
That opportunity of a better future is now within touching distance. Let’s make it happen today by voting SNP.
This is from Zack Polanski, the Green party leader.
Here is the message to voters from Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader.
double quotation markThe polls are open, and the choice is clear. We have less than 24 hours to stop Reform and defend the country we love from Nigel Farage’s Trump-style politics.
We’ve now seen what Reform looks like in power - banning journalists, scrapping renewables, closing care homes and raising council tax despite their promises. Our communities can’t afford that chaos.
Across the country, from Hampshire to Hull, the battle is now between the Liberal Democrats and Reform. We are the ones taking the fight to them and standing up for decency, tolerance, and the rule of law.
Liberal Democrats don’t do division, we do the hard work that actually gets things done. Whether it’s fixing the church roof, ending the GP surgery crisis, or finally cleaning up the sewage in our rivers, a vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for a local champion who works hard for their community. Don’t wake up tomorrow to a result you’ll regret.
Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria voted early today. Here they are arriving at a polling station in Westminster.
For years Westminster was a Conservative-run council, but it went Labour in 2022. This year, it’s a Tory target.
This is what Dave Hill and Lewis Baston say about Westminster in their excellent and exceptionally thorough London Decides guide to the elections in the capital.
double quotation markIn June 2025, a member of its crew leaped aboard the rival craft Reform: she has since been anointed her new party’s candidate for Mayor of London in far-off 2028. Another followed in November. There have been two other by-elections, one of them producing a Tory hold, the other a Labour hold. The net outcome is that Labour currently has 28 seats, the Tories 24 and Reform two. Several Westminster wards turn on tight margins and with Reform and the Greens trying to get in on the two-party act, every vote is going to count.
Here is the election message from Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party.
double quotation markToday, as they head to polling stations, millions of people across the country face a stark choice: between electing a Conservative council that delivers better services and lower taxes, and the chaos that Labour, Reform and the rest have to offer.
Under my leadership the Conservative party has changed. We know where we went wrong and we’re fixing it.
The next Conservative government will deliver cheaper energy bills, take back our streets with 10,000 more police officers, cut business rates for the high street, end the war on motorists, and abolish stamp duty on the family home.
We are the only party with the plan, the team and the backbone to deliver a stronger economy and stronger country.
These elections are on a knife edge. Every vote counts and yours could make the difference.
Vote Conservative today and back us to get Britain working again.
UPDATE: The reference to “chaos” is a bit reminiscent of this famous tweet from David Cameron during the 2015 general election campaign. After Britain voted for Brexit just over a year later, this became seen as one of the worst Twitter prophecies of all time.
Here is Nigel Farage’s overnight eve-of-poll statement. The Reform UK leader said:
double quotation markThe Tories tried to remove the gutless Keir Starmer and failed.
The only way to finally remove the most unpopular and unpatriotic prime minister in our lifetime is to back Reform.
Together, we can continue the journey of getting our great country back on track.
Reform made history and won the local elections last year. If you really want change, go out and vote for it again today.
Good morning. Voting has started in what looks set to be a seismic set of elections. In England people will be electing around 5,000 councillors, and six mayors; in Scotland, they are choosing 129 MSPs to serve in a new parliament; and in Wales they are selecting 96 members of the Senedd (MSs), under a new electoral system which also means the Senedd is getting much bigger. In the past, there were just 60 MSs.
Some English councils will count overnight, but most of them will start counting tomorrow morning, which is also when counting in Scotland and Wales begins.
Here is a Guardian guide to what’s at stake.
Here is an article by our data team explaining why the polling suggests the results will be particularly difficult for Labour.
And here is Patrick Greenfield’s First Edition briefing on five trends to look out for.
As the day goes on, I will post more on why the results we get tomorrow have the potential to upend British politics.
There probably won’t be much hard news today. But you never know, and there will be space for dogs at polling stations.
For the record, here is the statement that Keir Starmer released about the elections overnight.
double quotation markToday when you put your vote in the ballot box you face a clear choice. Progress and a better future for the community you call home, with a Labour council working with a Labour government. Versus the anger and division offered up by Reform or empty promises from the Greens.
In tough times, you need politicians who will always stand up for you and your family. Time and again Nigel Farage and Zack Polanski have shown they are not fit to meet this moment of great global instability. Today I pledge firmly to you: whatever the pressure, Labour will always back you and your family and we will never waver from doing what is in Britain’s national interest.
Back action to ease the cost of living. Back our NHS. Back a better future for your local community.
Today, choose unity over division. Vote Labour.
I will post statements from the other main party leaders shortly.
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Explore more on these topics- May 2026 elections
- Politics live with Andrew Sparrow
- Scottish elections 2026
- Welsh elections 2026
- Local elections 2026
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