Rishi Sunak’s Tories are braced for heavy losses as results come in for local elections across England, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats both making gains.
The contests were the first to be fought under new rules requiring voters to carry photographic ID, and the elections watchdog said “regrettably” some people were turned away from polling stations as a result.
The Conservatives have so far lost control of councils in Tamworth, Brentford and North West Leicestershire, while Labour replaced them as the largest party in Hartlepool and Worcester.
Labour have also gained Plymouth on an above-average swing that may well reflect the controversy about cutting down trees in the city centre and took majority in Stoke-on-Trent turning the council from no overall control.
Senior Conservatives have sought to present the setbacks as a mid-term “blip”, but with the prospect of a general election in 2024 there will be concerns that they have suffered losses in the north, south and the Midlands.
With full results from 25 out of the 230 councils where elections were being held, the Conservatives had suffered a net loss of 36 councillors, Labour had a net gain of 38 councillors and the Liberal Democrats added a total of eight councillors.
