W ith Labour bracing for what could be a historic collapse in the local elections , Independent readers are grappling with a bigger question than just Thursday’s results: will anything – even a wipeout – actually be enough to force Sir Keir Starmer out? Many commenters see the elections as a verdict on Starmer’s leadership, arguing Labour has failed to connect with voters and risks losing ground not just to the Greens and Liberal Democrats, but to Reform UK in traditional strongholds. There is a strong sense of frustration, particularly among those reacting to Dan Haygarth’s reporting from St Helens , where some lifelong Labour voters say they feel abandoned and no longer represented by the party. At the same time, others pointed to warnings from Professor Sir John Curtice that while Starmer’s position looks increasingly fragile, he may still survive in the short term because there is no obvious successor.…