Local elections are often seen as an opportunity for voters to make their unhappiness with central government known. Much of the discussion in the run up to 7 May is about the severity of the loss that Labour is likely to suffer. However, with the volume of voters predicted to move towards Reform UK and the Green Party, is more going on than just dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer and his party?
An underacknowledged factor in the current popularity of Reform UK and the Green Party is the feeling that underpins it. A vote for these parties is often seen as an opportunity to proactively – perhaps also, to the individual, positively – identify with an organisation and set of ideas. For a long time, votes for Labour or the Conservatives have been the opposite; a defensive vote to prevent an alternative. A vote against other options rather than for the organisation and ideas. For voters, this might no longer be enough.
Mamdani’s New York of Neighbourhoods
One of the most striking recent political campaigns was that of Zohran Mamdani to become Mayor of New York City. His campaign was grounded in New Yorkers’ daily lives and everyday realities – free city buses, rent freezes, city-owned grocery stores, free childcare, and funding for libraries. For local residents, this was an approach that resonated.
Mamdani was also able to mobilise an incredible grassroots campaign. In each and every neighbourhood of New York, volunteers would turn out to canvass – more than 100,000 by election night. His campaign was built on fun, and social connection. There were scavenger hunts and football (or soccer) tournaments. Although some may dismiss these as ‘stunts’, they tap into a desire for joy and community. They also remind us that grassroots organising is a form of social life.
Reform UK, the Green Party, and tomorrow’s elections
Back in the UK, tomorrow’s local elections in England, and Wales and Scotland’s national elections, are likely to see large swings of votes towards Reform UK. In England, the Green Party is also likely to make significant gains. Behind each of those votes is a network of activity – door-knocks, leaflet drops, distributing posters, and debates on WhatsApp groups. These aren’t just campaign tactics, they are also kinds of social life.
On one level it’s about signalling your values and interests to other people – a kind of pro-active affiliation. These ‘get-out-the-vote’ activities can be less about persuading others of your ideas, and more about reassuring people there are likeminded voters about, so it’s worth turning out to vote.
At another level – for the volunteers getting out on the street – there are social networks at play; when someone gets pulled into a campaign through a neighbour, friend, or local group, part of what is on offer is a route into communal association. Perhaps even friendship.
The policies and beliefs Reform UK and Green Party voters identify with differs sharply, but the underlying pull – toward something to belong to – is shared.
The difference community spaces can make
Opinions and voting trends around the UK will, of course, vary – potentially significantly. My experience of a by-election last month in Kent was that the campaign from Labour was almost entirely absent. The candidate that won, now a Green county councillor, was a former Labour Mayor. This echoes trends from people I know across the country, who used to do a lot for Labour, but are now doing markedly less.
For the Labour Party, it may be too late for this local election, but that does not mean it is too late overall. Our human desire for connection is real, and the call for political change is underpinned by the loss of everyday social spaces where we used to make and sustain community – libraries, parks, leisure centres, community spaces and more. Across UK neighbourhoods, people have seen these close down, reduce their opening hours, become poorly maintained, or become too expensive.
If – as I believe – people are voting for connection, or an ideal of community they feel has been lost, then the work of any party is not just rhetorical. People need somewhere to belong to, something to join, a community to be a part of. This means defending and rebuilding those everyday spaces where social ties are made and sustained. The parties that take that seriously – that invest in and support our community spaces – show they understand that desire, and they are the ones worth watching.
Community Local government and public services Labour local elections Reform UK Scottish elections The Green Party UK politics Welsh elections Posted on: 6 May 2026 Authors: Jack Layton,