Local poll results put Sunak’s future in focus

Tory Mayor Ben Houchen re-elected for third term from Tees Valley, PM admits ‘disappointment’

LONDON: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s leadership came under severe pressure on Friday as his party faced one of the worst local election results for the governing Conservatives in 40 years, with the only glimmer of hope coming from a Tory Mayor in northern England holding on to his seat.

Tory Mayor Ben Houchen was re-elected for a third term in Tees Valley and gave his party leader something to cheer about amid results Sunak admitted have been “obviously disappointing”.

But rebels from within his party are expected to renew their attacks on the British Indian leader after the Opposition Labour Party made definitive gains, including overturning the Tory majority in the Blackpool South byelection which was necessitated following a resignation amid a lobbying row.

Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer declared the result as a “seismic” victory and an overall poll verdict in favour of the party as it comes on the eve of a general election, expected later this year.

“Blackpool speaks for the whole country... This is the one contest where voters had the chance to send a message to Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives directly, and that message is an overwhelming vote for change,” said Starmer of the by-election.

“The message to Rishi Sunak is clear. It’s time for change, it’s time for a general election,” he said.

The Labour candidate in Blackpool South, Chris Webb, defeated Conservative David Jones in the constituency which the Tories had won from Labour under former prime minister Boris Johnson in 2019. The swing of 26 per cent from the Tories to Labour has been characterised as the third biggest in a byelection since 1945.