The call came days after Labour lost control of Swindon Borough Council, as Reform UK made significant gains across the borough and a number of long-standing councillors were unseated.
Despite the wider downturn in Labour’s support, Councillor Robbins retained his seat, after moving to Old Town.
In a statement, Councillor Robbins said:
“Received a phone call from Prime Minister today, commiserating with me on the result in Swindon, taking responsibility for the national party role in it, passing on his thanks and condolences to those good local councillors who have lost their seats and inviting me to offer feedback to the party to help us improve our campaigns for the future.
“Lots of people have opinions on the Prime Minister, but thought it was a very nice thing for him to take time to do, on a day when he clearly will have other things going on.”
Across Swindon, Labour’s vote appeared to be squeezed in several working-class wards,while the Conservatives consolidated their support in key wards, they claim, to keep Reform from winning. The Green Party, despite a visible campaign, and a new national leader, did not secure any seats.
The Prime Minister’s direct contact with Councillor Robbins indicates that Labour’s national leadership is closely monitoring developments in Swindon, long viewed as a political bellwether.
For Councillor Robbins, the phone call marked a personal moment following one of Labour’s most challenging election nights in the town in recent years.
