With just weeks to go before the pivotal May 7, 2026 local elections, the political landscape across Britain is shifting in ways few could have predicted a year ago. At the center of this transformation stands Nigel Farage, the ever-energetic leader of Reform UK, whose relentless campaign tour is shaking up traditional party strongholds from Scotland to Wales, and even in the local councils of East London. The stakes are high: Reform UK is not only aiming for seismic gains in local governance, but also positioning itself as a credible contender for national power in the years ahead.
Farage’s campaign trail reads like a whirlwind. According to Sky News, he launched his tour on April 13, 2026, in central London and immediately set off for Aberdeen, the Shetland Islands, Glasgow, then back to London, with dozens of campaign stops planned before polling day. Despite the grueling schedule—about 40 campaign visits in recent weeks—Farage appears undaunted, energized by the prospect of transforming Reform UK from a protest movement into a serious party of government. He makes no secret of his ambition: in Scotland, Reform UK hopes to leapfrog the Conservatives and become the official opposition to the SNP in Holyrood, with YouGov polling for Sky News predicting 20 seats for the party—a stunning turnaround given Reform’s lackluster showing in the last Scottish Parliament elections.
The story is similar in Wales, where Labour has ruled the Senedd since its inception in 1999. Now, Reform UK is neck and neck with Plaid Cymru, posing a real threat to Labour’s dominance. Farage, in conversation with Sky News, was candid about his ambitions: “Here in Scotland, to become the opposition would be amazing, absolutely amazing, and if we can embed ourselves there, we can move on in the years to come. In Wales, well, we’re neck and neck right now with Plaid Cymru. The Labour Party, particularly in The Valleys—the real birthplace of the Labour Party—is almost disappearing off the map. So, to be frank, coming first in Wales is the ambition. Whether we can remains to be seen.”
But Reform’s rise is not without its challenges. Recent polls show its support has dipped from highs of 29–30% in spring and summer 2025 to around 21%—now tied with the Conservatives and Greens, while Labour lags at 17%. Only a quarter of Britons believe Reform UK is ready to form the next government, a figure that has dropped from 47% last September. The transition from insurgent protest party to a credible force of governance is proving tough, as Farage himself admits. On April 13, he told Sky News he considers Reform “75% ready” to form a government, with leadership in Scotland and Wales now in place and four major spokespersons appointed.
The party’s growing pains are evident in the very councils it controls. Reform UK now holds outright control in nine upper-tier English councils and a minority in three more. These councils raised Band D council tax for 2026/27 by an average of 3.94%—lower than the 4.86% average for councils run by other parties. Yet, the party is under fire for failing to keep promises made by some of its candidates. In North Northamptonshire, for example, candidates pledged to freeze council tax, but the rate actually increased by 4.99%. Similar stories emerged in Kent and Staffordshire, where tax hikes contradicted campaign leaflets. Farage, when pressed by Sky News, was blunt: “We’re not North Korea. I can’t control individuals and thousands of people.” He insists Reform councils have delivered the lowest average council tax increases, but the episode highlights the tension between campaign rhetoric and the realities of governance—a challenge familiar to any party transitioning from the fringes to the mainstream.
Nowhere is this battle for credibility more visible than in Havering, a borough in East London with a history of political independence and no overall control. As reported by BBC London, the local council has been a patchwork of alliances, with the Havering Residents Association (HRA) previously running the council with Labour’s support. Financial woes persist, and all parties are vying for a breakthrough. Reform UK has made Havering a key target, buoyed by the defection of Romford MP Andrew Rosindell and three councillors from the Conservatives. Farage’s recent visit to Romford Market, accompanied by Rosindell, signaled the party’s intent to capitalize on local discontent.
Keith Prince, a former Conservative now running as a Reform UK candidate, has promised to regenerate Romford Market and put “more pride into Havering,” despite budget gaps. “Making a tax cut will be difficult but when I was leader of Redbridge, I’m the only leader who ever had successive years of no council tax rise, so I really do have the experience. I know where to look for the money,” Prince told BBC London. The contest in Havering is wide open, with Labour, Greens, Liberal Democrats, and independents all fielding candidates. Labour’s Keith Darvill believes his party could again hold the balance of power, prioritizing social housing if they do.
As Reform UK’s profile rises, so does scrutiny of its policies—especially on the NHS, a perennial issue for British voters. On April 13, Health Secretary Wes Streeting challenged Farage to clarify his party’s health policies before the elections, warning that a Reform UK government could mean “there will be no NHS.” At an Institute for Public Policy Research event in London, Streeting accused Farage of considering an insurance-based health system, citing past comments: “Farage has said, and I quote: ‘We are going to have to move to an insurance-based system of healthcare’. Just last year he said: ‘I do not want it funded through general taxation. It doesn’t work’.”
Farage’s record on the NHS is mixed. While he did say in 2014 that the UK would have to consider an insurance-based system, he has since insisted he supports healthcare remaining free at the point of use. Yet, the absence of a shadow health secretary in Reform’s shadow cabinet has only fueled speculation. Streeting pressed the point: “Nigel Farage should stop hiding from his guilty little secret, be straight with the British people about what he actually believes and tell us what he’ll actually do.” He demanded answers on the type of insurance system Reform would implement, premium costs, and protections for the uninsured, warning that voters “cannot trust this con artist with the NHS.”
Meanwhile, Reform UK continues to poll strongly, particularly in Wales, where it is expected to make major gains alongside Plaid Cymru. Labour, for its part, faces threats from both Reform on the right and the Greens on the left, with party leader Keir Starmer bracing for a tough night at the polls.
With Farage’s party on the cusp of unprecedented local and national influence, the coming election will test not only Reform UK’s appeal at the ballot box but also its ability to deliver in office. For voters across Britain, the question is no longer whether Reform UK can win—but whether it can govern.