I suppose if I you wanted to be positive as a Tory and Labour strategist surveying the wreckage of the 2025 local election you could argue that it was only 24 councils out of 314 and 1,500 out the current 17,000 local councillors. Sadly, that doesn't stand up to scrutiny in the wake of the Reform tidal wave (and given what's coming in 2026 – of which more later – foolish complacency). 

Of the 1,500 council seats Reform won 677. Of the 24 councils Reform won outright ten – Durham, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Kent, the newly created unitaries of West and North Northamptonshire and Doncaster (which should make for interesting meetings with the Labour Mayor there).