Defeat for Sunak’s Tories in local elections in Great Britain

There is already talk of a conservative collapse: British Prime Minister Sunak’s Tory party is falling deeper into crisis with a defeat in the local elections. Will Sunak face a vote of no confidence soon?

The defeat is catastrophic: after almost all votes have been counted, the Conservatives have lost around half of the seats they had to defend. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was all the more relieved to celebrate the few conservative victories, such as the re-election of the mayor in the Tees Valley region in northeast England.

But what he didn’t mention was that Mayor Ben Houchen had hidden as much as possible during the election campaign which party he belonged to. It is said Houchen won as a popular local figure despite running for the Conservatives.

Competition from left and right

However, Sunak’s Tories suffered a defeat in a by-election to the London House of Commons. The mandate in the English seaside resort of Blackpool went to the Labor opposition with a clear lead. And party leader Keir Starmer said he sees a Labor majority in the upcoming general election within reach.

With a view to the parliamentary elections, the Conservatives should also be alarmed by the fact that the right-wing populist party Reform UK came third in Blackpool South, only around 100 votes behind. Reform UK – once founded by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage – also achieved some impressive results in the local elections and cost the Conservatives numerous seats. Party leader Richard Tice said on the BBC that his party would be the real opposition to Labor in the future and that the Conservatives were doomed to decline.

Vote of no confidence against Sunak in conversation

Commentators emphasized that local elections are only of limited significance for parliamentary elections. But a nationwide survey by the opinion research institute Yougov also sees Sunak’s Conservatives in free fall: only 18 percent would vote Conservative, Labor comes to 44 percent. There had been rumors that these figures could lead to a revolt against Sunak among the Tories. But the Daily Mail’s headline today says: “Rishi Plotters give up and go to the pub” – in other words: “The coup plotters give up and go to the pub”.

Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns, who openly called for a vote of no confidence against Sunak, told the BBC that the party should never have parted ways with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “It was a mistake to overthrow Boris,” she said. She doesn’t think there will be enough votes for a vote of no confidence against Sunak. “But we have to find a role for Boris again. And the message for Rishi before the general election is clearly: ‘Wake up, finally govern in a really conservative way or we will lose.'”

Are the Tories drifting to the right?

Shortly before the local elections, Sunak had successfully pushed his flagship policy through parliament – namely the plan to deport boat refugees to Rwanda. With his radical expulsion policy, he not only wanted to pacify the right wing of his own party, but also undermine Reform UK. Neither seems to have been successful. Moderate conservatives are watching with concern where their party is drifting.

Dominic Grieve was Attorney General in David Cameron’s government and has since left the Tory Party. He believes that only a course towards the political center can save the party. “My concern is that the Tories will lose the next election badly and then move further towards right-wing populism in the short term. And that will alienate even more voters from the center,” he fears. “The center is the only place where you can win elections in Great Britain.”

Some results still open

Further important election results will be announced later today and on Sunday. It will become clear this evening whether Labor Mayor Sadiq Khan was able to defend his position in London against the Conservative Susan Hall. Incumbent Sadiq Khan was considered the clear favorite, but rumors began circulating on Friday that conservative challenger Susan Hall could win in a complete surprise. The reasons cited were low turnout among Labor voters and discontent in the outskirts over the expansion of the low emission zone.

The results of the mayoral election are also expected today in the West Midlands region around the megacity of Birmingham. If incumbent Andy Street prevails there, that would be another plus point for Sunak. Street also refrained from using the Conservative Party logo on its advertising leaflets during the election campaign.