London:

Britain’s Labour Party won mayoral polls in London and central England on Saturday, in crushing defeats for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s unpopular Conservatives ahead of a national election due later this year.

While Labour politician Sadiq Khan’s re-election as London mayor was widely expected, Labour also snatched a surprise, narrow victory in the central West Midlands region that is home to Britain’s second-largest city of Birmingham.

The wins are Labour’s latest in local elections to councils and mayoralties on Thursday and could fuel fresh calls for Sunak to step down.

Opinion polls predicted that Labour would win the next national election, propelling Keir Starmer to power and ending 14 years of Conservative government in Britain. Sunak has said he intends to call a vote in the second half of the year.

Conservative West Midlands Mayor Andy Street lost to his Labour opponent Richard Parker. Street’s 37.5% of the vote was eclipsed by 37.8% for Parker, a razor-thin margin translating to 1,508 votes.

Street, who has served as mayor since 2017, ran a campaign emphasising his personal record on investment while downplaying his Conservative affiliation. He publicly disputed Sunak’s decision to scrap the high-speed HS2 rail link from Birmingham to Manchester last year.

Parker had sought to link him to the unpopular national government. “I believe a Labour mayor working with a Labour government will help get Britain’s future back,” Parker said in a speech following the result.

Starmer said the result was beyond Labour’s expectations. “People across the country have had enough of Conservative chaos and decline and voted for change with Labour,” he said in a statement.

Sunak had been counting on getting an electoral boost from recent announcements on defence spending and the progress of his divisive plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Khan’s victory in London, his third in a row, came despite some public anger over knife crime and the Ultra Low Emission Zone that charges drivers of older, more polluting vehicles a daily fee.

“It’s been a difficult few months, we faced a campaign of non-stop negativity,” Khan said in a speech after the results showed he had won 43.8% of the vote against 33% for the Conservatives’ candidate, Susan Hall.

“For the last eight years, London has been swimming against the tide of a Tory (Conservative) government and now with a Labour Party that’s ready to govern again under Keir Starmer, it’s time for Rishi Sunak to give the public a choice.”

Khan, 53, became the first Muslim mayor of the British capital in 2016.

Hall had made scrapping ULEZ a centrepiece of her campaign but the 69-year-old Donald Trump fan made a series of gaffes and faced accusations of racism after being found to have engaged with far-right content online.

In one bright spot for Conservatives, Ben Houchen won re-election as mayor of Tees Valley in northern England on Friday.

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A member of the Labour Party sits outside a polling station near Russell Square, central London London, during the local elections, on May 2, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Britain’s governing Conservative Party is suffering heavy losses as local election results pour in Friday, piling pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of a U.K. general election in which the main opposition Labour Party appears increasingly likely to return to power after 14 years.

Read Editorial: Two states: On the Palestine question and the U.K. 

Labour won control of councils in England it hasn’t held for decades and was successful in a special by-election for Parliament. Its only negative has been in some areas with large Muslim populations, such as Oldham in northwest England, where the party’s candidates appear to have suffered as a result of leader Keir Starmer ‘s strongly pro-Israel stance in the conflict in Gaza.

Perhaps of most importance in the context of the looming general election, Labour won Blackpool South, a long-time Labour seat in the northwest of England that went Conservative in the last general election in 2019, when then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a big victory. In the contest, triggered by the resignation of a Conservative lawmaker following a lobbying scandal, Labour’s Chris Webb secured 10,825 votes, 7,607 more than his second-placed Conservative opponent.

“This seismic win in Blackpool South is the most important result today,” Starmer said. “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.”

Thursday’s elections were important in themselves, with voters deciding who will run many aspects of their daily lives, such as garbage collection, road maintenance and local crime prevention, in the coming years. But with a general election looming, they will be viewed through a national prism.

Starmer next Labour PM?

The results so far provide more evidence that Labour is likely to form the next government — and by quite a margin — and that Mr. Starmer will become Prime Minister.

As of early Friday, with barely a quarter of the 2,661 seats up for grabs counted, the Conservatives were down 115 while Labour was up 60. Labour has won in areas, which voted heavily for Britain’s departure from the European Union and where it was crushed by Johnson, such as Hartlepool in the northeast of England, and Thurrock in southeast England. It also seized control of Rushmoor, a leafy and military-heavy council in the south of England where it has never been in power.

John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, said the results so far indicate that the Conservatives are losing around half of the seats they are trying to defend.

“We are probably looking at certainly one of the worst, if not the worst, Conservative performances in local government elections for the last 40 years,” he told BBC radio.

The results will roll in through Saturday. Mr. Sunak hopes he can point to successes, notably in several key mayoral races, to douse talk that the Conservative Party will change its leader again before the United Kingdom’s main election, which could take place as soon as next month.

Key to his survival could be the results of mayoral elections in Tees Valley in the northeast of England and in the West Midlands. The former is due Friday midday and the latter on Saturday. Should Conservative mayors Andy Street and Ben Houchen hold on, he may win some respite from restive lawmakers in his party. Should both lose, he may face trouble. Labour’s Sadiq Khan is expected to remain mayor of London when results are announced on Saturday..

Mr. Sunak could preempt any challenge by threatening to call a general election that has to take place before January 2025. He has the power to decide on the date and has indicated that it will be in the second half of 2024.

Mr. Sunak became Prime Minister in October 2022 after the short-lived tenure of his predecessor, Liz Truss, who left office after 49 days following a budget of unfunded tax cuts that roiled financial markets and sent borrowing costs for homeowners surging.

Her chaotic — and traumatic — leadership compounded the Conservatives’ difficulties following the circus surrounding her predecessor Johnson, who was forced to quit after being adjudged to have lied to Parliament over lockdown breaches at his offices in Downing Street.

Nothing Mr. Sunak has tried to do appears to have shifted the political dial, with Labour consistently 20 percentage points ahead in opinion polls, which would lead, if translated into a general election, to a landslide victory on a par with that achieved by Tony Blair in 1997.

London:

Britain’s ruling Conservative party is expected to suffer heavy losses in crunch local elections this week that are likely to increase pressure on beleaguered Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The polls are the last major electoral test before a general election that Sunak’s party, in power since 2010, seems destined to lose to the Labour opposition.

Sunak has said he wants to hold the nationwide vote in the second half of the year, but bruising defeats in Thursday’s votes could force his hand earlier.

“These elections form a vital examination for the Sunak premiership — road-testing its claim that the plan is working and the degree to which voters still lend that notion any degree of credibility,” political scientist Richard Carr told AFP.

Incumbent governments tend to suffer losses in local contests and the Conservatives are forecast by pollsters to lose about half of the council seats they are defending.

Sunak’s immediate political future is said to rest on whether two high-profile Tory regional mayors get re-elected in the West Midlands and Tees Valley areas of central and northeast England.

Wins for the Conservative mayors, Andy Street and Ben Houchen, would boost hopes among Tory MPs that Sunak can turn around their party’s fortunes in time for the general election.

But speculation is rife in the UK parliament that a bad showing could lead some restive Conservative lawmakers to try to replace Sunak before the nationwide poll.

“If Andy Street and Ben Houchen both lose, any idea that Sunak can carry on is surely done,” said Carr, a politics lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University.

“Whether that means he rolls the dice on a general election or gets toppled remains to be seen.”

Factional infighting has plagued the Tories in recent years, serving up five prime ministers since the 2016 Brexit vote, including three in four months from July to October 2022.

A group of restive Conservative MPs have drawn up a “policy blitz” for a potential successor to Sunak in the event of massive losses this week, British media have reported.

Sunak To Be Replaced?

Some observers say it would be madness for the Conservatives to topple another leader when Sunak has provided some stability since succeeding Liz Truss in October 2022.

Others say the party’s credibility is already shot so why not try one last desperate throw of the dice to try to stop a predicted Labour landslide.

Some 52 MPs would need to submit letters of no confidence in Sunak to trigger an internal party vote to replace him — a tall ask.

“I still expect Sunak will lead the Conservatives into the general election,” Richard Hayton, a politics professor at Leeds University, told AFP.

“But some MPs may seek to move against him, which will further damage his standing with the general public.”

Sunak, 43, was an internal Tory appointment following Truss’s disastrous 49 days premiership in which her unfunded tax cuts caused market turmoil and sank the pound.

Despite numerous leadership resets under Sunak, the Tories have continued to trail Labour, led by Keir Starmer, by double digits in most opinion polls.

An Ipsos poll earlier this month put Sunak’s satisfaction rating at a joint all-time low of minus 59 percent.

More than 2,500 councillors are standing in England on Thursday, as well as London’s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan who is seeking a record third term in office.

Most of the council seats up for re-election were last contested in 2021, when ex-Tory premier Boris Johnson was popular as he rolled out Covid-19 vaccines.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Britain’s Labour Party leader Keir Starmerin Dudley, England. File photo
| Photo Credit: AP

The United Kingdom’s Opposition Labour Party used Holi to reach out to the Indian diaspora, with party leader Keir Starmer tapping into the spring festival’s message of ushering in the new in an election year.

During an event organised by British-Indian think-tank 1928 Institute in London this week, Mr. Starmer was joined by London Mayor Sadiq Khan and members of his Shadow Cabinet to celebrate the festival of colours.

Leader of the Opposition Starmer said the occasion offered the ideal opportunity for the party to highlight its message of “national renewal” as the country prepares for a general election, expected later this year.

“As we welcome the incoming spring, it’s a time to celebrate new beginnings; to put the old to bed and welcome in the new. And, I have to say, in election year, that message has a real particular resonance with me,” said Starmer, whose Labour Party is leading in most pre-election opinion polls.

“It’s a time for us to give thanks for the rich contribution of Hindus across this country, to the tapestry of our national life and recognise the strength of our shared values and our commitment to one another… the enduring themes of Holi of inclusiveness and hard work, of renewal, of reform, of celebration and compassion, are so important in a world where frankly there is such great uncertainty at the moment. It gives us not just joy together but hope for the future; hope that good prevails over evil, that light overcomes darkness,” he said.

Wes Streeting, Starmer’s shadow secretary of state for health and social care, echoed the message of renewal as he reached out to the British-Indian diaspora electorate, highlighting the India-UK collaboration in the health sector.

“I’m incredibly proud of the immense contribution that people of Indian heritage have made to our National Health Service (NHS),” he said.

“As we look to the future, just as we celebrate so much of its past, we know that the contribution of our British-Indian community will be vital in the future of the NHS,” he said.

The Holi celebration attracted diaspora representatives from diverse fields, including medicine, business and the arts.

Nikita Ved, co-chair of the 1928 Institute, said, “Our research shows that more than half of British-Indians face barriers in accessing physical health care, with 76 per cent facing barriers in accessing mental health care. Many people here are healthcare professionals, inspired by ‘sewa (service)’, and choose to work in underserved communities to help address these inequities, which is truly inspiring.”

Dr. Ved further said, “Whilst the journey hasn’t always been easy, we are reminded of the legacy between the Indian community and our treasured healthcare system.”

The event, which included a musical performance by London-based Indian singer and actor Raageshwari, is expected to become an annual event in the diaspora’s festive calendar.

London, United Kingdom:

Former UK prime minister Theresa May on Friday announced that she will stand down as a member of parliament at the next general election, due to take place later this year.

May, 67, is the most senior member of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party to announce they will not seek re-election.

The Tories have consistently trailed the main opposition Labour party since October 2022 and are widely seen as on course to be dumped out of power after 14 years.

May has represented the constituency of Maidenhead in southeast England since 1997 and served as prime minister between 2016 and 2019 — a tumultuous period in the UK as it attempted to negotiate its departure from the European Union.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve everyone in the Maidenhead constituency as the member of parliament for the last 27 years,” she said in a statement to the local Maidenhead Advertiser newspaper.

“Since stepping down as prime minister I have enjoyed being a backbencher again and having more time to work for my constituents and champion causes close to my heart including most recently launching a Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.

“These causes have been taking an increasing amount of my time.

“Because of this, after much careful thought and consideration, I have realised that, looking ahead, I would no longer be able to do my job as an MP in the way I believe is right and my constituents deserve,” she added.

May served as interior minister between 2010 and 2016 under then leader David Cameron.

But he resigned immediately after Britain voted to leave the EU on June 23, 2016, and May became prime minister less than a month later.

She called a general election in 2017 to try to break the logjam over the terms of Britain’s departure from the EU, but the vote ended in a hung parliament.

Unable to get her deal through parliament, her Conservative party suffered a drubbing in European elections in May 2019, leading to her resignation.

While dominated by Brexit, May was also in charge during terror attacks in London and Manchester, and when fire ripped through the Grenfell Tower block in the UK capital that killed 72.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Rishi Sunak heads to the Conservative Party’s conference this weekend with one aim: convincing Britain he can win the UK’s next general election. Many of his own lawmakers are already preparing for a scenario in which he doesn’t.

The prime minister has spent recent weeks trying to shore up his base. He’s rowed back on green measures in the name of reducing costs for ordinary Britons and mulled a reassessment of the HS2 high-speed rail link, the UK’s flagship infrastructure project.

But national polls suggest he won’t be Britain’s leader after an election that must be called by January 2025. The Labour Party has enjoyed a double-digit polling lead for more than a year. After a couple of recent polls appeared to show Sunak clawing back ground, YouGov this week gave Labour a 21-point advantage.

While Sunak, 43, appears to have suppressed for now the threat of an internal challenge, many Tories are working behind the scenes for a leadership run if the election goes badly, according to interviews with more than two dozen Conservative lawmakers, advisers and donors. There are at least 13 would-be contenders to watch out for, said the people, who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity.

One Member of Parliament said the subplot of Tory conference — told in unsubtle speeches, fringe events and drinks at hotel bars — was the battle for the future of the party. Another told Bloomberg that Sunak was already a lame duck.

Sunak’s backers say his team is focused on making a success of his premiership and not getting distracted by events beyond their control. Allies of all the possible leadership hopefuls said they were working to support the prime minister and pushing for a Tory election win. Some Tories think Sunak could still pull off victory or stay on if Labour fail to secure an outright majority.

“Who replaces Rishi in the event of a defeat is going to depend in no small part on just how bad that defeat turns out to be,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, who has researched how the party’s post-election make-up will determine its leader.

Here’s who could run:

Kemi Badenoch

Sunak’s business secretary raised eyebrows among colleagues by holding a party in her office in the summer to celebrate the “benefits of Brexit,” serving English sparkling wine. Badenoch, 43, is currently the most popular Cabinet minister in a closely watched monthly survey of Tory members by the website ConservativeHome. She is also the bookmakers’ favorite, although she fell out with some pro-Brexit MPs earlier this year when she doused a so-called bonfire of legislation retained from European Union membership.

Liz Truss

For many Tories, giving Truss, 48, another chance is unthinkable, since her 49 days in office last year caused a market rout and cratered the Conservatives’ reputation. Yet she is determined to influence party politics and could consider standing for leader in opposition, three people close to her said. She inspires loyalty from a group of “pro-growth” MPs, and will speak at a sidelines conference event on Monday. Truss has said publicly she has no desire to be premier again.

Suella Braverman

The home secretary has long been seen as positioning herself as the figure who would take a harder line on immigration and culture issues, as shown by her speech in the US this week. Some in government think Braverman, 43, might resign if Sunak declines to support leaving the European Convention on Human Rights. Centrist Tories say they’ll do all they can to prevent her from making the leadership runoff. Some on the right argue she has relatively few MP supporters, and that serving Sunak has undermined her pitch.

James Cleverly

The foreign secretary is being urged to stand by some Conservatives who see him as a unity candidate. A Brexiteer, ally of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and early Truss backer, his appeal also extends to Tory moderates. Some have questioned whether Cleverly, 54, sees his long-term future in politics, though he’s described reports he could quit as “nonsense.”

Mordaunt, Tugendhat

Tory centrists are hopeful their wing can coalesce around one candidate, with Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat frequently mentioned. While Mordaunt, 50, is popular with the party grassroots, she came up short in two leadership runs last year. Her consolation prize was becoming leader of the House of Commons and getting a starring role at King Charles III’s coronation, wielding a ceremonial sword. Labour are now targeting her district. Tugendhat, the 50-year-old security minister, is an alternative candidate, though others suggest he and Mordaunt should endorse Cleverly to prevent a right-wing takeover.

Shapps, Gove

If the Tories lose the election badly, some in the party think they should back a more experienced leader, perhaps as a caretaker until a younger face is ready. Grant Shapps, 55 — now in his fifth cabinet role — has been boosted by his appointment as defense secretary, though his seat is also under threat. Michael Gove, 56, another cabinet veteran, is an ally of Badenoch, but never far from political intrigue and is regarded as one of the party’s best thinkers.

Patel, Rees-Mogg

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel, 51, is a rival of Braverman’s and some on the right think she could stand and split the right-wing vote. Former Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, 54, is also tipped by some MPs who suspect he wants to be shadow chancellor under a right-wing leader. Both are allies of Johnson, who is out of politics now, but hasn’t ruled out a return. Longer shots include Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, 55, who some in No. 10 accused of having designs on Sunak’s job before coming under fire over crumbling concrete in schools. Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho, 38, is seen as a possible “continuity Sunak” candidate, though she is new to front-line politics. Some think pro-Brexit House of Lords peer David Frost, 58, might run for a Commons seat ahead of a leadership bid.

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)