Conservatives appear to have fared badly in local council elections across South West
The Conservatives look to have fared badly in local elections across the South West.
One of the biggest results declared so far saw Labour take control of Plymouth Council with a 45 per cent share of the vote.
Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats have maintained control of Bath and North East Somerset Council.
The Liberal Democrats have also retained control of Cotswold District Council and early signs are that Labour have made gains in South Gloucestershire Council where the Conservative leader is stepping down.
The Liberal Democrat group which had an overall majority on Cotswold Council after taking control from the Conservatives in 2019 has taken several seats from the Conservatives.
The result in Plymouth has been partly blamed on the Conservative authority’s decision to cut down a number of trees in the city centre.
Neighbouring Labour MP Luke Pollard said it has been “a stunning night for Labour in Plymouth”.
He added: “We won every single seat in our target parliamentary constituency of Plymouth Moor View, sending a signal that the Conservative MP there Johnny Mercer is toast at the next general election,
“It has seen people come back to Labour in huge droves, not only showing that the carnival of chaos, the Tory council chopping down trees and cutting public services is unwanted, but the Tory government is unwanted.”
Veterans Minister and local MP Johnny Mercer described the vote as a “really terrible” result for the Conservatives.
He said the decision to cut down trees in the city centre was a factor in the result.
He said: “The way the Conservative council did it, particularly at night, I would have done it differently.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the picture would get “worse” for the Tories in their heartlands.
He predicted his party would make big gains across “the Blue Wall” including places such as Dorset and Devon.
He says: “I met lifelong Conservative who would never vote Labour but were switching to Liberal Democrats.”
