Pressure mounts on Rishi Sunak amid party’s one of worst losses in 40 years

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s leadership is facing intense pressure as the results of local elections and a key by-election roll in. The governing Conservative Party is seeing one of its worst poll outcomes in 40 years.

Rebels within the party are gearing up to criticise Sunak further after the Opposition Labour Party made significant gains. Labour overturned the Tory majority in the Blackpool South by-election, triggered by a resignation amid a lobbying row.

Opposition Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer hailed the outcome as a “seismic” victory, setting the stage for a potential general election later this year.

“Blackpool speaks for the whole country. It’s time for change, it’s time for a general election,” Starmer said, emphasising the electorate’s resounding call for a shift away from the Conservatives, reported PTI.

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% from the Tories to Labour is being characterised as the third biggest in a by-election since 1945.

Eminent pollster Professor John Curtice told the BBC that the results are probably one of the worst, if not the worst, Conservative performance in local government elections for the last 40 years.

The electoral battleground extended beyond the by-election, encompassing local elections across England and Wales, where voters elected their representatives tasked with managing local affairs.

Early indications suggest Labour’s resurgence in regions that had previously leaned towards the Tories, reflecting shifting sentiments over issues such as Brexit.

Amid the electoral landscape, the Conservatives face the challenge of losing hundreds of seats, compounded by the emergence of the far-right Reform UK, posing a potential threat by siphoning traditional Tory support.

Additionally, Labour’s stance on the Gaza conflict, particularly in areas with significant Muslim populations, emerged as a factor affecting voter preferences.

In another trend likely to continue to resonate during a general election, there is evidence in areas with a significant Muslim population that Labour’s stance to not strongly condemn Israel in the Gaza conflict is hurting the party.

Most of the mayoral results are expected over the weekend, with London’s Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan hoping to be re-elected for a third term. He was challenged by British Indian businessman Tarun Ghulati.

Tarun Ghulati, an independent candidate had trained his guns on both Sadiq Khan and Susan Hall.

“I had overwhelming support from India and all over the world and want to thank everyone for the support and blessings,” Ghulati said.

Among the other mayoral polls, the Tory Mayors of Tees Valley and the West Midlands are hoping to hold on to their seats.

There are other mayoral contests taking place, including Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region, with the East Midlands, the North East, and York and North Yorkshire electing mayors for the first time. Besides councillors and mayors, around 37 police and crime commissioners are also being elected in some parts of England and Wales.