00:00Millions across the United Kingdom headed to the polls in local and regional elections
00:05that are being seen as a key test for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour Party.
00:10Nearly 5,000 council seats are being contested across England alongside elections in Scotland and Wales.
00:18Analysts say the vote could signal a shift in British politics
00:21with smaller populist and nationalist parties challenging the long-standing dominance of Labour and the Conservatives.
00:31Early polling suggests Labour could lose ground in dozens of councils across England,
00:36while the right-wing Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage is expected to make gains.
00:42In Wales, Labour is also facing pressure from the Nationalist Party, Plaid Cymru,
00:47with Labour at risk of losing control in the Welsh Parliament.
00:51Meanwhile in Scotland, hopes of returning to government there are also looking increasingly unlikely,
00:56with the Scottish National Party expected to remain a key force.
01:00Although Labour's national government is not directly at risk,
01:04poor results could increase pressure on Starmer.
01:07His popularity has plummeted in many parts of the UK,
01:10two years since steering his party to a landslide general election victory.
01:15The next general election is not due until 2029,
01:18but these results are being viewed as an early referendum on his leadership.
01:23Starmer has said he remains focused on tackling Britain's cost-of-living crisis,
01:28which has been shaped by wider global pressures,
01:31including the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
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