LONDON (Reuters) – Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party suffered a crushing defeat in local elections on Friday, undermining efforts to rebuild the British prime minister’s fortunes and the opposition Labor Party will be encouraged to hold a referendum next year.
Sunak came to power in October after a year of political scandals, rising inflation and stagnant economic growth. During his tenure, he faced a cost of living crisis, growing public health concerns, and widespread labor unrest.
Government parties often struggle in midterm elections, but the result of the UK Parliament will be the biggest and perhaps final test of voter sentiment ahead of the next national elections scheduled for January 2025.
After the council majority tallied the votes, this did not affect the government’s majority in parliament, with the Conservatives losing a net 460 seats, Labor winning his 260 seats and the Liberal Democrats losing his 143 seats. won a seat. The Labor Party said it was trying to seize power in the next general election. Sky News’ predictions, based on early results’ share of the vote, say Labor could be the largest party in the next national election with 36-38% of the vote, but conservatives Party he is 28-30%.
Expectations suggest Labor may not win a majority, but that could depend on the outcome in Scotland, which is vying for the Scottish National Party’s seat and does not hold local elections.
A similar BBC forecast said Labor would win 35% and the Conservatives 26% in the national election, with some within Sunak’s party expressing concern about the outcome.
The Labor Party has gained control of the Borough Council of Swindon, a town in southwest England where Labor leader Kiel Sturmer has campaigned and voted in the ruling parliament since 1983. “No spin, no shine. A terrible result,” said Justin Tomlinson, a Conservative MP in Swindon North parliament. “The party must take this together and take it as a wake-up call to change and renew.”
“Clear” Denial
The vote was intended to elect approximately 8,000 councilors from local government agencies responsible for the day-to-day provision of services such as garbage collection and schools.
In key seats in the north and south of England, Sunak’s party lost to Labor, while the Liberal Democrats advanced in wealthier areas of the south.
Sunak told reporters that the results so far show that people want the ruling party to stick to its priorities, but in the process of announcing the results, it will remain firm while the tally continues. It is too early to draw any conclusions. Britain’s most famous pollster John Curtis said the results “clearly” rejected the Conservative Party, but said it was an open question how popular Labor was.
“(Labour) might manage to win a majority not because voters are crazy about Labor, but simply because the Conservatives are not doing very well,” he told BBC radio.
Sunak took over as prime minister and his third head of government last year after the scandal-plagued premiership of Boris Johnson and a chaotic economic policy that ousted Liz Truss in his two months.
Snak’s party lost control of at least 26 councils on a night that Plymouth MP Johnny Mercer described as a “terrible” night for the Conservatives.
