The U.K.’s Conservative Party had a rough ending to the week as they faced heavy losses across England in local elections, with the opposition Labour Party as well as the Lib Dems (Liberal Democrats) gaining . With results of 183 of 230 local councils in by 5.20 pm local time (9.50 PM IST), the Tories had lost 38 councils and 781 seats (net), with Labour gaining a net of 17 councils and 424 seats.
The results, which are seen as an indicator of outcomes for the 2024 general election, come after close to a year of significant trouble for and within the governing Conservative party, which saw three Prime Ministers, economic difficulties and scandals.
Labour won back Plymouth and Stoke-on-Trent, two key councils which went to the Tories in the 2019 elections. Stoke-on-Trent is part of the ‘red wall’ - areas in the Midlands and northern England that have traditionally voted Labour. The party also won Medway in Kent - which had been held by the Tories since 1998. The Lib Dems (Liberal Democrats) claimed control of Windsor & Maidenhead, a Tory stronghold. Former U.K Prime Minister Teresa May has held the Maidenhead parliamentary seat since 1997.
Labour said it was confident of having an 8 point lead in terms of vote shares based on results declared so far.
“If Labour had an 8% lead in a general election we would win a majority government, taking into account anticipated recovery in Scotland,” a party spokesperson said as per a report in The Guardian. The BBC projected a 9 point lead for labour in the hypothetical scenario of the entire country voting.
The Tory establishment tried to play down Friday’s results. Party chairman Greg Hands said they had known it would be a “difficult night” for the party.
“We’ve actually gained seats in Peterborough, Sandwell, Bassetlaw, other areas that Labour need to win at the next election,” Mr Hands said.
However, some politicians were more blunt about the outcome. “I’m afraid it’s been a terrible night in Plymouth as we lost every seat we stood in,” Tory MP and Veterans’ Affairs minister Johnny Mercer said on Twitter, as he asked his party to “take it on the chin” and “learn” from the experience. By early Friday evening , the Tories were heading towards their worse case scenario of a 1,000 seat loss.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, had, on May 4, warned of a “hard night” ahead and said his government had worked to move away from the “box-set drama”, (a likely reference to his predecessors Liz Truss and Boris Johnson) as per reports in the British press.
Complete results for the election of officials to 230 councils with a total of more than 8,000 council seats and four mayors, are expected later on Friday.
“The results are clear: a better Britain with Labour is possible,” said Labour Party leader Keir Starmer on Twitter.
The last time local elections in England were held - under Prime Minister May’s leadership in 2019 - the Tories lost more than 1300 seats.
