When the familiar stage collapses and the old actors lose their audience, the drama of a new era begins. That is precisely what is unfolding in British politics. The May 2025 regional elections revealed a country fatigued — with unchanging party brands, hollow promises, and a political system that for years has failed to answer the essential question: who governs Britain, and why?
Sensational outcomes were not expected from local elections. Turnout was low, most contests were in rural areas, and major cities were absent from the list. Yet it was in this very periphery that a political earthquake struck. Reform UK, a party once dismissed as fringe, swept through the mandates like a storm: 677 seats, control over 10 councils, victories in mayoral races, and success in parliamentary by-elections. What does this signify? Protest? A flash in the pan? Or a new normal?
The End of Illusions
These elections were a cold shower for the two historic giants — Labour and the Tories. Once they commanded three-quarters of the general election vote between them. Now, they barely manage a third. The rest of the electorate has dispersed: some to the Liberal Democrats, some to the Greens, but most to those promising to “take back the country” and “fix the system.” Reform UK’s rhetoric is as plain as a wooden stool — and yet it resonates. That is a worrying signal.
Labour, which came to power in 2024 in a blaze of triumph, is now losing its footing. Their victory was less a mandate for change than the result of the Conservative collapse. The Tories, in turn, have become mired in contradictions, losing both their industrial “Red Wall” and loyal southern base. Traditional parties have not just grown weary — they’ve ceased speaking the same language as the people.
The Reformers’ Phenomenon
So what exactly does Reform UK offer? To be honest — not much at this stage. The party platform is vague, the slogans are standard: law and order, fiscal restraint, fewer migrants, more fairness. But the party’s strength lies not in its ideas, but in its sense of novelty. It is untainted by past crises, broken promises, corruption, or the old elite. They sound different — because they haven’t had time to become boring.
The examples of new political faces are telling. Olympic champion Luke Campbell wins a mayoral race. Andrea Jenkyns, a former minister under Johnson, defects from the Tories and leads Reform UK to victory in Lincolnshire. This isn’t a traditional talent pool — it’s a front line of cultural demand: voters are choosing recognizability, charisma, and simplicity. Not bureaucratic competence, which they’ve had enough of.
Old System — New Challenges
Britain’s decaying majoritarian system is no longer keeping up with reality. 14% of the vote yielding just 5 parliamentary seats? That equation is indefensible. And while in 2019 it might have been dismissed as an anomaly, today it’s a powder keg. Electronic petitions, rallies, and campaigns for electoral reform will only grow louder.
Moreover, local governments are teetering on collapse. Birmingham is in a state of technical bankruptcy. Social services are being slashed. Garbage remains uncollected. New parties are gaining power — without having real tools at their disposal, since most funding is centralized. Can Reform UK meet expectations if 80% of decisions depend on London? Or will it repeat the very failures it now criticizes?
No Longer Left vs. Right
Perhaps the most important discovery of the season is this: Britain is entering an era where “left” and “right” are losing meaning. Reform UK gains support from working-class voters — not because it promises social programs, but because it talks about borders and tradition. Labour is losing ground — not because it’s bad, but because it fails to inspire. And the Conservatives are trying to be everything to everyone — and end up lost between generations and social classes.
A new political axis is emerging: not “taxes and redistribution,” but “who are we” and “what should we do with the world.” People once considered left-wing are voting for the right — and vice versa. And if politicians fail to understand this shift, they will be replaced by those who do.
Farage and His Shadow
One cannot ignore the figure of Nigel Farage — the architect behind Reform UK’s rise. His charisma is like a stun gun in sleepy political halls. But risks lurk beneath the surface. His ties to Trumpism, ambiguous stance on Ukraine, and inflammatory remarks could become liabilities. Farage seems to sense this: cautiously distancing himself from American radicalism and seeking a more moderate image.
He now calls his party the “party of the working class.” And if, in the coming years, Reform UK manages to build a coherent economic program and strike a balance between populism and governance, it could catalyze a major restructuring of Britain’s political landscape.
What Lies Ahead for the Country
Can Reform UK win a general election? It’s too early to say. But one thing is certain: the two-party era is over. The British voter no longer buys off-the-shelf politics. They demand meaning, action, and authenticity. And if the old politics won’t deliver it — the people will invent something new.