Labour to target south of England at general election, campaign chief says

Keir Starmer celebrates Labour winning the West Midlands mayoral race, which Pat McFadden cited as an example of the party’s ‘ruthless targeting’. Photograph: Jacob King/PA

Labour is planning to target the south of England heavily at the general election as the local election results show some “blue wall” seats are turning red, Keir Starmer’s election chief has said.

The shadow cabinet minister Pat McFadden said Labour was advancing in southern Tory heartlands and it was wrong to think the Lib Dems were the only challengers to the Conservatives in the south.