Tory election losses mount as Rishi Sunak faces scrutiny

The Conservative party is reeling after suffering a devastating defeat in the Blackpool South parliamentary by-election and facing significant losses in local elections across England and Wales. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer declared the victory in Blackpool as “seismic” after securing a 26 per cent swing, while early results indicated that the Tories could lose half of the council seats they were defending.

The results have put pressure on Rishi Sunak’s leadership of the Conservative party, with Tory MPs bracing for a general election that must be called this year. The party is facing the possibility of losing up to 516 seats, based on early estimates.

Labour’s victory in Blackpool South, with new MP Chris Webb beating the Conservative candidate with a significant swing, has sent a clear message to the ruling party. The win marks the third-largest swing against the Conservatives in a postwar by-election and is seen as a warning for Tory MPs in similar working-class seats in northern England.

As the results continue to come in, Labour has made net gains in council seats, while the Liberal Democrats and Greens have also seen advances. The focus now shifts to the mayoral election results, with Sunak hoping to secure key mayoralties in Tees Valley and the West Midlands to reassure his party.

However, with Downing Street bracing for potential criticism of Sunak’s leadership and the possibility of more Tory MPs submitting letters of no confidence, the future of the Conservative party remains uncertain in the wake of these election defeats.