Tories lose strongholds
Loss for Johnson in local elections
05/06/2022 08:57 am
The Partygate affair is apparently leaving its mark: Prime Minister Johnson’s British Conservatives are losing control of traditional Tory districts in the local elections. “It’s a warning shot from conservative voters,” says a disappointed MP.
In the local elections in Great Britain, bitter setbacks are looming for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party. According to initial results, the Tories lost control of the boroughs of Barnet and Wandsworth in London, which had been firmly in their hands for decades. “This is a warning shot from Conservative voters,” said Barnet Borough Council Tory leader Daniel Thomas. The opposition Labor Party also claimed victory in the prestigious and long Conservative-dominated Westminister district of central London.
The elections held in thousands of municipalities and counties on Thursday are the first major test of sentiment since the so-called Partygate scandal put Johnson under massive pressure. Voters’ displeasure is sparked by allegations that parties were being held at the prime minister’s official residence despite the current corona lockdowns.
But the focus is also on the drastically increased cost of living. A weak election result could also boost Johnson’s critics in his own ranks, who doubt his ability to win a majority in the parliamentary elections due to be held by the end of 2024.
In Scotland and Wales, voters were also called on Thursday to elect new local and county councils. A new regional parliament was elected in Northern Ireland. The counting of the votes should not begin until this Friday. A result is expected later today. According to polls, the Catholic-Republican party Sinn Fein is likely to become the strongest force in the former troubled province of Northern Ireland for the first time.