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UK voters up next in election year closely watched by world markets
Polls suggest Labour could lose more than half of the 2,500 English council seats it is defending as Reform UK and the Greens gain ground.
British voters will cast ballots Thursday in local elections that could hasten the end of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's troubled term and confirm the United Kingdom has entered an era of messy multiparty politics.
Starmer's popularity has plunged following repeated missteps since becoming prime minister in July 2024, compounded by his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain's ambassador to Washington.
Forecasters suggest Labour will lose well over half of the 2,500 seats it defends on English local councils, with the Liberal Democrats, Greens, and Reform UK emerging as primary beneficiaries.
An election wipeout could trigger a leadership challenge from rivals including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, or Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
Tony Travers, professor at the London School of Economics, said Britain is moving from a "two-and-a-half party system" to "something more like a five-party one," while The Scottish National Party pushes for independence if it wins Thursday.