ruling conservatives suffer massive electoral setback

A massive electoral setback. The defeat of the British Conservative Party in power was accentuated on Saturday May 4, after the latest results of the local elections confirming the large victory of Labor, in this election in the form of a final test before the legislative elections in a few months. In the British capital, Labor Sadiq Khan was re-elected largely for a historic third term against conservative Susan Hall, according to British media.

On Friday, the first results already showed that the “Tories” 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 election (won by the Labor Party). and to renew some of the thousands of local elected officials in England and Wales.

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

“The beginning of a page that turns”

The Labor opposition’s substantial gains boost its hopes that its leader Keir Starmer will arrive in Downing Street after general elections scheduled for later this year. “Today we celebrate the beginning of a page that is turning, one of the last stages before the legislative elections”he also welcomed in Mansfield, in the East Midlands, where he celebrated the election of Labor mayor Clare Ward.

“Let us turn the page of decline and launch national renewal”, added Keir Starmer, promising in particular to rebuild the adrift health system, after calling on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the day before to call early legislative elections. The conservative Prime Minister, who faces divisions in his ranks, again defended his policy on Saturday, in particular his plan to expel migrants to Rwanda. “Only conservatives have a plan”he assured in a column published in The Telegraph.