LONDON: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned on Monday that the analysis local elections the results show that the country is moving towards a suspended parliament led by the opposition Labor Partywhat ‘would be catastrophe for Great Britain.” The 43-year-old leader of British India told The Times after the government’s defeat Conservative Partywho lost hundreds of local council and key mayoral seats across England over the weekend as a result of the results, that he was bitterly disappointed but determined to fight.
He sought to paint a less bleak picture of the party’s insurgents, demanding a change in political course to win back voters ahead of general elections later this year.
“These results suggest we are heading towards a hung parliament with Labor as the largest party,” Sunak told the newspaper.
“[Labour Leader] Keir Starmer supported in Downing Street by the SNP [Scottish National Party], Liberal Democrats and Greens would be a disaster for Britain. The country doesn’t need more political boasts, but action. We are the only party that has a plan to implement citizens’ priorities,” he insisted.
He went on to express voters’ frustration over a challenging few years with the cost of living crisis and skyrocketing household bills making them less likely to vote for Tory councilors and mayors last Thursday.
“I know the last few years have been challenging and I understand why people are frustrated. The loss of good Conservative councilors and a mayor as fantastic as Andy Street, who has done so much good for the West Midlands, is of course bitterly disappointing. But I am determined to show people that we deliver for them and defend our values,” he said.
After the final votes were counted on Sunday, the Tories had lost control of 10 councils and more than 470 seats. They also lost 10 police and crime commissioners, with most of the gains going to Labor and the Lib Dems, who pushed the Tories into third place.
In a clear message to rebellious voices from the Conservative backbench, led by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who demanded the Prime Minister move away from “managing” and show robust leadership, Sunak added: “There is much to do and more progress in the pursuit of will be made and I am determined that we will come together as a party and show the British people what we deliver for them.”
Sunak’s comments about a hung parliament reflect analysis by leading psephologist Professor Michael Thrasher for Sky News which found Labor would win 294 seats in the general election, less than a majority of 326.
The forecast, which some other polling experts have rejected, used local election results to estimate the nationwide vote share in the general election.
It assumes everyone would vote in the general election the same way as in last week’s local elections, when smaller parties and independent candidates tend to do better in local elections. It also does not take into account what might happen in Scotland, instead using the results of the 2019 general election, when Labor is expected to do much better there this year.
But polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice told the BBC that simply winning more seats in Scotland was unlikely to be enough to give Labor a majority.
Meanwhile, Sunak has averted any immediate threat to his leadership as rebels in his camp have little appetite for another upheaval ahead of the general election – which is just around the corner and could be expected at any time in the second half of the year.
He sought to paint a less bleak picture of the party’s insurgents, demanding a change in political course to win back voters ahead of general elections later this year.
“These results suggest we are heading towards a hung parliament with Labor as the largest party,” Sunak told the newspaper.
“[Labour Leader] Keir Starmer supported in Downing Street by the SNP [Scottish National Party], Liberal Democrats and Greens would be a disaster for Britain. The country doesn’t need more political boasts, but action. We are the only party that has a plan to implement citizens’ priorities,” he insisted.
He went on to express voters’ frustration over a challenging few years with the cost of living crisis and skyrocketing household bills making them less likely to vote for Tory councilors and mayors last Thursday.
“I know the last few years have been challenging and I understand why people are frustrated. The loss of good Conservative councilors and a mayor as fantastic as Andy Street, who has done so much good for the West Midlands, is of course bitterly disappointing. But I am determined to show people that we deliver for them and defend our values,” he said.
After the final votes were counted on Sunday, the Tories had lost control of 10 councils and more than 470 seats. They also lost 10 police and crime commissioners, with most of the gains going to Labor and the Lib Dems, who pushed the Tories into third place.
In a clear message to rebellious voices from the Conservative backbench, led by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who demanded the Prime Minister move away from “managing” and show robust leadership, Sunak added: “There is much to do and more progress in the pursuit of will be made and I am determined that we will come together as a party and show the British people what we deliver for them.”
Sunak’s comments about a hung parliament reflect analysis by leading psephologist Professor Michael Thrasher for Sky News which found Labor would win 294 seats in the general election, less than a majority of 326.
The forecast, which some other polling experts have rejected, used local election results to estimate the nationwide vote share in the general election.
It assumes everyone would vote in the general election the same way as in last week’s local elections, when smaller parties and independent candidates tend to do better in local elections. It also does not take into account what might happen in Scotland, instead using the results of the 2019 general election, when Labor is expected to do much better there this year.
But polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice told the BBC that simply winning more seats in Scotland was unlikely to be enough to give Labor a majority.
Meanwhile, Sunak has averted any immediate threat to his leadership as rebels in his camp have little appetite for another upheaval ahead of the general election – which is just around the corner and could be expected at any time in the second half of the year.
