Local elections in the United Kingdom: massive setback for the ruling Conservatives

The massive electoral setback for the ruling British Conservative Party deepened on Saturday. The latest results of the local elections confirm the vast victory of Labor, particularly in London, where mayor Sadiq Khan won a third mandate in this election which looks like a final test before the legislative elections, in a few months.

In the British capital, Sadiq Khan was largely re-elected with 43.8% of the votes for a historic third term against conservative Susan Hall (32.7%).

He said to himself honored And proud and said he hoped that this year will be a year of great change with a future Labor government.

Already on Friday, the first results showed that the conservatives, in power for 14 years, were going to experience their worst defeat in 40 years for a local election, during which voters were called to vote for a partial legislative vote – won by the Labor Party – and to renew some of the thousands of local elected officials in England and Wales, as well as 11 mayors.

The Labor opposition’s substantial gains reinforce its hopes that its leader Keir Starmer will arrive in Downing Street after parliamentary elections scheduled for later this year.

Today we celebrate the beginning of a page turning, one of the last stages before the legislative electionswelcomed Keir Starmer on Saturday in Mansfield, in the East Midlands, where he celebrated the election of Labor mayor Claire Ward.

Let’s turn the page on decline and launch national renewal with the Labor Partyhe added, promising in particular to rebuild the adrift health system after having called on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the day before to call legislative elections.

However, Rishi Sunak, who faces divisions in his ranks, again defended his policies on Saturday, in particular his plan to deport migrants to Rwanda and his tax cuts.

Labor has not won in places it has admitted it must win to obtain a majority at the end of the next legislative elections. Only conservatives have a plan for the country, he assured in a column published in the conservative newspaper Tea Telegraph.

Heading for the legislative elections

In total, the Labor Party gained more than 180 seats and will lead 8 additional local councils, while the Conservatives lost more than 470 seats and lost control of at least 10 local councils.

The rise of Reform UKa nationalist and populist party founded by Brexit champion Nigel Farage, also has reason to worry the conservatives, who could lose votes to it in the legislative elections.

All is not rosy either for the Labor Party, which notably lost voters due to its position considered too pro-Israeli by some of its voters in the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

He benefited more of a will [des électeurs] to beat the conservatives than one enthusiasm towards it, while participation remained low [moins de 30 % dans la plupart des scrutins locaux]said John Curtice, professor of political science.

However, nothing in these results disturbs the long-created impression that Labor is on course to win the next general electionaccording to him.

In addition to London, Labor has at this stage won 10 of the 11 municipal elections which were held in several large cities in the country, such as Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds or Sheffield (South Yorkshire), but also in the conurbation of York and from North Yorkshire, where the Prime Minister’s constituency is located.

While the count is still underway in the hotly contested West Midlands (Birmingham), the Conservatives must be content for the moment with a single victory with the re-election of the conservative mayor of Tees Valley (east), Ben Houchen , announced Friday.

Rishi Sunak ran to congratulate him, seeing it as a sign that the Conservatives can still turn things around before the legislative elections.

This victory is proof that the conservatives keep their promiseshe declared, praising in particular the success of several economic projects and saying he was convinced that voters will remain faithful too to the conservatives during the legislative elections.