Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has made substantial gains in local elections while Labour suffered heavy losses. So can the prime minister fight on? Lucy Hough speaks to political correspondent Alexandra Topping

As Labour faces record-breaking losses in Thursday’s local elections, prime minister says rivals are unfit to lead

Reform runaway winners in north-east, likely pushing Labour into opposition in Hartlepool, with other losses for Starmer in Chorley, Wigan, Redditch and Tamworth