Tories Could Lose 500 Seats As Party Braces For Tough Day

The Conservative Party could lose up to 500 council seats in the local elections, as the party braces for a bleak and bruising day.

Professor John Curtice told the BBC's Today Programme that the Conservatives were defending a "very high baseline" in the local elections, but so far they were on course to lose half the seats they previously held. But he added that the results were close to catastrophic for the party. 

"They may end up losing 500 seats which was the thing they were meant to avoid," he said. 

"Where we've got the detailed voting numbers, it looks as though the Conservative vote is... down on where it was last year, and we're probably looking at certainly one of the worst, if not the worst, Conservative performance in local government elections for the last 40 years."

Labour took control of Hartlepool council, where the party lost a by-election in 2021, and won Redditch and Thurrock which are perceived as key battle grounds for the next election if Keir Starmer's party are to win an overall majority. 

A Labour Party spokesperson said winning back Hartlepool was a "groundbreaking moment" after the disappointing results we saw here in 2021.

"Keir Starmer pledged to change the Labour Party after that result, and today’s win shows that this changed Labour party is ready to deliver the change that communities like Hartlepool are crying out for," they said. 

"Making gains here shows that the Party is on track to win a general election and is firmly back in the service of working people.”

Starmer's party lost overall control of Oldham council which is part of the party's traditional heartlands. 

The Tories managed to hold on to Harlow council in Essex despite Labour making significant gains across the country. Robert