Tories Slammed in Local Elections Blow
The Tories have suffered a crushing defeat, losing 48 councils and over 1,000 councillors — far worse than even their darkest forecasts. For the first time since 2002, Labour has snatched the crown as the largest party in local government. Meanwhile, the Lib Dems bask in their “best result in decades,” grabbing control of 12 councils, mostly from Tory heartlands.
Sunak Faces Major Test – and Flunks
The local elections covering 230 English councils were Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s first big popularity test since taking the Tory helm last October. Despite labelling the results “disappointing,” Sunak insisted he didn’t see “a massive groundswell of movement towards Labour.”
Keir Claims Victory, Eyes Downing Street
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was quick to seize the moment, calling the results “fantastic.” He told cheering supporters in Kent, “Make no mistake, we are on course for a Labour majority at the next general election,” expected next year.
Labour triumphed in crucial swing councils including Medway, swindon/" title="Swindon" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Swindon, Plymouth, Stoke-on-Trent, and East Staffordshire. BBC projections gave Labour 35% of the national vote, with the Tories trailing at 26% and the Lib Dems at 20%.
Experts Weigh In: Tory Crisis Deepens
Polling guru Sir John Curtice labelled the results “only a little short of calamitous for the Conservatives.” Yet BBC political editor Chris Mason warned that neither major party can yet be certain of a majority next time.
Despite the heavy losses, Tory ranks show no signs of ousting Sunak, after the party last year pushed out Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. However, several ousted councillors and internal critics blasted the PM, venting their fury over the meltdown.
The elections unfolded against the UK’s dire economic backdrop, with sky-high inflation fuelling the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. A source close to Johnson and Truss told the BBC Sunak “has no option but to own these results.”
In Swindon, where Labour wrested control after 20 years, defeated Tory leader David Renard blamed the local wipeout on “the cost of living and the government’s performance over the last 12 months.”
