BRITAIN’S CONSERVATIVES SUFFER HISTORIC LOSSES IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

Sat 04 May 2024:

The Conservative Party, which is now in power in Britain, is expected to lose the next general elections after suffering a crushing setback in local elections.

Almost all council results have been counted, and the opposition Labour Party has gained 170 seats while the Conservatives have lost 450. On Saturday, counting began for a few more assembly and mayoral ballots, most importantly for the mayor of London.

After 102 out of 107 local elections were concluded, the Conservatives lost over half of the ones they were defending, which resulted in them losing control of 10 councils.

Opposition Labour Party won 170 council seats, taking control of eight councils, as well as three newly created mayoral seats, one of which was in Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s own northern British

Labour also won a by-election for the Blackpool South parliamentary seat, triggered by the resignation of the scandal-plagued Conservative MP Scott Benton.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said the emphatic victories nationwide sent the prime minister a clear message to hold a nationwide vote.

“Voters in Blackpool South have sent a direct message to Rishi Sunak: Make way, let’s have a general election,” said Starmer.

Voters in Blackpool South have sent a direct message to Rishi Sunak: make way, let’s have a general election.

Only Labour can get Britain's future back. pic.twitter.com/M1ZBKsins0

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 3, 2024

Sunak, whose Tories are down about 20 points in the polls to Labour must order a general election to be held by January 28 next year at the latest.

Sunak, while acknowledging the results were “disappointing”, has remained positive about his party’s chances in the general elections.

“Come a general election, [voters] are going to stick with us,” Sunak said on Friday while celebrating the Conservative win in Tees Valley.

Writing in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, Sunak admitted the returns showed “voters are frustrated” but added that “we Conservatives have everything to fight for”.

Backlash over Gaza

While Labour had an overall strong showing, its candidates appear to have suffered in some areas with large Muslim populations, such as Blackburn and Oldham in northwest England, due to the party leadership’s stance on Israel’s war on Gaza, including an initial refusal to call for a ceasefire.

In areas that have a greater than 10 percent Muslim population, Labour’s vote share dropped by an average of 11 percent, according to the BBC.

The Workers Party of George Galloway, who was re-elected to parliament in March touting a pro-Palestinian message, picked up four seats.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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