VOTING has now ended in the local elections 2018 as counting gets underway.
Prime Minister Theresa May came into these elections after a difficult six months, losing four members of her Cabinet and suffering a growing number of parliamentary defeats. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has also been under pressure, with his party trailing the Tories in the polls and engulfed in an anti-Semitism scandal.
It’s been a tough night for Labour, who failed to gain some flagship Tory seats in London like Wandsworth and Westminster. Outside London, the Conservative have made some important gains in Leave-voting areas.
Corbyn claims Conservatives ‘talked up Labour’s chances to unrealistic levels’
Jeremy Corbyn has claimed the Labour Party is now “well placed to win a General Election” and accused the Conservatives of “talking up our chances to unrealistic levels”.
He said: “Labour achieved a solid set of results in the local elections. We have consolidated and built on the advances we made at last year’s General Election, when we won the largest increase in Labour’s share of the vote since 1945.
“In these elections we have won seats across England in places we have never held before. We won Plymouth from the Tories, who lost control of Trafford, their flagship northern council. And Labour has won even more council seats than at our high watermark of 2014.
“Last year Labour showed the difference we can make in a full national campaign. This year our members and supporters campaigned in impressive numbers. And their energy, talent and enthusiasm will continue to take Labour’s message of real change to communities across the whole country.
“In a sign of how worried they are about Labour’s advance, the Tories talked up our chances to unrealistic levels, especially in London. The results show they’re right to be worried – we came within a whisker of winning Wandsworth for the first time in over 40 years.
“The Labour Party is now well placed to fight and win the next General Election – and form a government that will work for the many, not the few.”
LIVE: Local election results 2018
UKIP’s general secretary compares party to ‘the Black Death’
UKIP’s general secretary Paul Oakley has compared his party to the Black Death in an interview with the BBC’s Today programme.
“Think of the Black Death in the Middle Ages – it comes along, it causes disruption then it goes dormant…that’s what we’ll be doing. Our time isn’t finished”
Nick Robinson replied: “Can I just be clear – as general secretary of UKIP – you’ve just compared your party to the Black Death?”
“Absolutely. What’s wrong with that?”
