Hard blow to Boris Johnson and his political force, the Conservative Party. Labor have taken over the London councils of Westminster and Wandsworthbastions Tories, in the British municipal elections held this Thursday.
They are not the only advances made by Labor, led by Keir Starmer, in the elections. Waiting for the first results to be announced in Wales and Scotlandas well as those of North Irelandin England they have been imposed in traditionally conservative consistories.
The most symbolic are the municipality of Westminster, which had been in the hands of the Conservatives since its creation in 1964and Wandsworth, a municipality in the south of the British capital that since 1978 was controlled by the Tories. Wandsworth was considered the favorite of the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for imposing low taxes.
These two major Labor victories are seen as a reflection of the Johnson’s popularity decline following the Downing Street house party scandal during the pandemic, as well as growing voter concern over rising costs of living and sky-high energy prices, according to commentators.
Wandsworth was considered the favorite council of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Labor also seized the Conservative stronghold of barneta north London council with a significant Jewish population, which in previous elections, when Labor had Jeremy Corbyn as its leader, had voted Conservative in protest at the anti-Semitism scandals that surrounded the Labor Party while the leftist politician led it, according to analysts.
Labor leader Keir Starmer has called the result of his “turning point” formation “fantastic” the victories at Westminster, Wandsworth and Barnet. The wins “send a message to the Prime Minister (Boris Johnson) that the UK deserves better,” Starmer said.
The three British regions -England, Wales and Scotland- have held partial local elections, while in Northern Ireland, voters went to the polls to choose the composition of the regional Assembly, made up of 90 seats.
In this electoral event, 4,360 councilor positions were at stake in 146 English consistories, out of a total of 333, while all 32 in Scotland and 22 in Wales were renewed. When 72 of the 146 constituencies at stake in England have been counted, Labor controls 35two more than they had, while they obtain 1,124 councillors, 37 more.
Conservatives control 18 municipalities -they lose five-, and they already add 492 councilors -they lose 121-, while the Liberal Democrats control 4 consistories -they gain one- and account for 246 councilors -they gain 56-, meanwhile, while others go to other parties.
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