First electoral test for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sees Tories taking heavy losses in the local elections
As the votes were counted into the early hours of Friday morning it looked clear that Rishi Sunak’s Tories were on course for heavy losses in the local elections. In the Prime Minister’s first electoral test Labour and the Liberal Democrats both made gains in elections across England.
Senior Conservatives have sought to present the setbacks as a mid-term “blip”, but with the prospect of a general election in 2024 there will be concerns that they have suffered losses in the north, south and the Midlands. He attempted to present the expected losses as mid-term blues for the Tories, telling Sky News: “The British people are a very sensible group of folk and they understand what’s important.
Mr Mercer said: “I think, locally, it has been very difficult. The Conservative Group here has been through a very difficult time. We have seen that reflected on the doors, in the campaign and we have seen that reflected in the results tonight but you know, we take it on the chin.” – Labour’s Chris Cooke won the battle to become mayor of Middlesbrough, defeating the independent incumbent Andy Preston with a swing of almost 20%, a result the party said was “beyond our expectations” and “exactly the kind of progress we needed to make in Teesside”.
The elections were branded a “dark day for British democracy” by campaigners opposed to the introduction of photo ID, who claimed thousands of people had been denied their right to vote. Tom Brake of Unlock Democracy, who is leading a coalition of groups opposed to the policy including the Electoral Reform Society, Fair Vote UK and Open Britain, said: “Today has been a dark day for British democracy.
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