Labour ‘will be SMASHED by Reform and pro-Gaza independents in Birmingham’ as Starmer prepares for local election wipeout

Labor faces near-total extinction in Birmingham in local elections, according to a poll.

More in Common’s research shows the party’s dominance of the city council will come to a shocking end after today’s vote.

Labor could lose 51 of the 65 available seats and would be the biggest beneficiary of Reformation. Nigel Farage’s rebels could make a remarkable jump from zero councilors in the last contest in 2022 to 47 this time.

Meanwhile, the public can nominate 17 independent candidates, including pro-Gaza candidates.

Such a result would put pressure on Keir Starmer, who is preparing for poor results in the Scottish and Welsh Parliamentary elections, as well as in England.

The Prime Minister is trying to formulate a survival strategy to thwart a coup attempt by angry MPs.

Sir Keir plans to give a major speech on Monday, where he may try to placate rebel MPs by promising to go further on easing Brexit, government sources said.

Discussions are also ongoing in Downing Street about whether a staff reshuffle will be initiated on Saturday, possibly before the final results come in.

A senior aide told the Daily Mail the idea had ‘got a lot of interest’ and any revisions would need to be completed before Sir Keir’s speech.

But they claimed the Prime Minister was too weak to make big moves and that Angela Rayner was still in talks with HMRC over unpaid taxes.

They said, ‘What’s the point of a reshuffle if you’re going to dismiss Liz Kendall and Peter Kyle?’ ‘It doesn’t move the dial.’

Other developments and turns today:

• Labor representatives are said to have warned activists not to be caught crying on camera when the results are announced in the coming days;
• According to a YouGov poll, 53 per cent of Britons think there should be a general election if Sir Keir is ousted, while 27 per cent oppose the idea;
• Nigel Farage showed off his patriotic socks as he voted in Essex this morning, while Sir Keir was joined by his wife Victoria in Westminster;
• Green leader Zack Polanski faces fresh questions about his party’s stance on Israel after saying Palestine was ‘on the ballot’ in the election.

The Birmingham authority has faced anger after a long-running bin strike has caused misery for residents.

It is also trying to fill a massive financial black hole fueled by the adoption of a massive equal pay mandate in 2023.

This has led to service cuts and a 17.5 per cent increase in council tax over the last two years.

Labor council leader John Cotton insisted the financial crisis was now under control and claimed the bin row must end. ‘In the spotlight’ as he tries to limit election damage.

More Common Ground research found 26 per cent support Reform and 23 per cent support Labour.

The Greens have 18 percent support, the Conservatives 15 percent, the independents 12 percent and the Liberal Democrats 7 percent.

But the study suggested Labour’s votes could not be distributed efficiently across council areas, meaning they would get a lower proportion of 101 seats.

This will be the lowest number of councilors the party has ever had in the city.

The Prime Minister voted with his wife Victoria in central London this morning; for he was facing a moment of great danger; Thousands of council seats were up for grabs, as were the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.

In a sign of how bad Labor believes things could get, activists are being given extraordinary advice not to cry on camera as the results are announced.

The elections look set to shake the foundations of Britain’s two-party system; Voters are set to take out their anger at Labor and the Conservatives by supporting Reform and the Greens in large numbers.

Nigel Farage votes in Walton-on-the-Naze this morning as he hopes to make major Reform gains

Labour’s leader in Wales, Baroness Morgan, may fight to secure her own seat in the Senedd

Labor could face its worst-ever round of local elections in England, losing more than 1,500 council seats and struggling to avoid third place in Scotland and Wales.

The Prime Minister’s rivals are opening fire to see the extent of the meltdown.

Many suspect that the outpouring of emotion will be great enough to remove Sir Keir from power, although there is no consensus on his successor.

As well as Ms Rayner’s ongoing tax problems, another oft-praised successor, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, is not even currently in the House of Commons.

Nearly 25,000 candidates are running for election to more than 5,000 seats on 136 councils across England.

While all 129 seats in Holyrood are up for election in Scotland, voters in Wales will elect 96 members of the Senedd.