BIRMINGHAM — Reform UK emerged as the largest party on Birmingham City Council with 22 councillors after Friday's vote count at the Utilita Arena, ending Labour's 14-year rule of the authority. The Green Party took 19 seats, with neither party reaching the 51 needed for a majority.

John Cotton, the outgoing Labour leader of the city council, conceded defeat at the count. "What I would encourage the next administration in this city to do, whatever form that administration takes, is that it ensures it champions the diversity of this city," Cotton said.

The Birmingham result formed part of a wider set of losses for Labour at Thursday's local elections in England, in which the party lost more than 1,400 councillors. Labour also lost control of Welsh local government for the first time and lost ground in Scotland.

Reform UK's election gains have caused concern among minority communities about a potential rise in hostile rhetoric. Brummies United Against Racism, a group of neighbours in Birmingham formed after a far-right group distributed leaflets to their doors, responded to the result through one of its members, Mus.

"We are really disappointed. We've been campaigning to make sure our city is a safe space for our communities," Mus said.

Mus said the group intended to step up its activity following the vote. "We worry about the implication for residents in our city, but in our responses now we have to work harder, we have to double our efforts because our futures depend on it. We're not going to allow them to divide us," he said.

Richard Tice, a Reform UK MP, rejected the suggestion that minority communities had reason to fear the party's advance. "If they were fearful, why would they be voting for us?" Tice said.

He also addressed concerns about antisemitism. "I'm concerned for the Jewish community and about the antisemitism, the abuse they get, and I want people at the Guardian and other lefty newspapers to focus on that rather than one other particular community. Are we clear?" he said.