James Woolcock

And it has never been quite as bleak for him.

We used the word disastrous just there.

They've lost more than 1,400 seats.

By my counting, that's more than any sitting Labour government has ever lost in a council election.

Some of the language I was hearing from Labour campaigners over the weekend is the angriest I've certainly ever seen them.

And it remains to be seen if one big speech can really turn it all around.

Good morning, Nathan, Alexis.

The early signs are that it is a disastrous election for the governing Labour Party.

So far, the party are losing 50% of the seats they are defending, mostly to the right-wing Populist Reform UK party.

Now, Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the results are very tough

and that he takes responsibility for those losses.

But he adds that he's not going anywhere and he will fight the next general election.

But he may not be the person who decides.

We're still waiting for the majority of results and how senior figures in Starmer's Labour Party respond to them.

In London, James Wilcock, Bloomberg Radio.

News when you want it with Bloomberg News Now.

I'm James Woolcock.

The UK's ruling Labour Party is headed for significant losses in local elections.

Speaking this morning, Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the results are very tough and there's no sugarcoating it, adding that he takes responsibility for the losses.

Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform UK party has already gained more than 350 council seats across England, as Labour racks up hundreds of losses in a disastrous election night.