UK local elections 2023: ‘Disappointing‘ results for Tories as Labour makes solid gains

London, UK

UK local elections 2023: Early results showed the ruling Conservative Party had lost around 200 seats in the elections for over 8,000 seats on 230 local councils across England. The opposition Labour Party and the centrist Liberal Democrats made significant gains, with the latter seizing control from the Conservatives in Windsor, an affluent town west of London. The elections are seen as a test of support for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government as the country approaches a general election due by the end of 2024.

Sunak facing heat for the actions of his predecessor

While some contests focused on local issues such as potholes and garbage collection, voters seemed to have punished the Conservatives for the turmoil that engulfed the party under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who resigned amid multiple scandals. 

Watch: Gravitas Plus: The untold story of Rishi Sunak

Then as the new prime minister, Liz Truss faced criticism for her rash tax-cutting plans, which spooked financial markets, hammered the value of the pound, and roiled the wider British economy. Sunak, a smooth former banker, was later chosen to restore stability to the economy and the government.

Conservatives acknowledge ‘disappointing results’

Sunak acknowledged the "disappointing" results for the Conservatives but insisted that "it's still early" in terms of the overall results. Greg Hands, the Conservative party chair, also admitted it was a disappointing night for the party. He said, “We always said it would be a difficult night for the party, the independent projections were all that we were going to lose 1,000 seats.”

“It’s still early days so far but if I might say, it’s not been that great a result for Labour in some areas,” he added.

Also Read | UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces questions in Parliament, says 'choice before country is clear'

Labour says it will achieve majority in general elections

Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, claimed that his party was on the course for the majority in the upcoming general elections. He said this in Medway, where Labour has won control of the council for the first time since 1998.

Labour Party's national campaign coordinator, Shabana Mahmood, also said that the results put Labour on course to win a majority of seats in the general election. The party gained control of at least three new councils, and the results have been a disaster for Sunak, said Mahmood.

Local elections don’t reflect the complete picture

Overall, the results are not a complete snapshot of the UK as there were no elections in London, Scotland, or Wales, while Northern Ireland is set to vote on May 18. However, the early results have shown that the Conservatives are losing support while the opposition is gaining ground.