Local elections results – live: Labour win in West Midlands and London as Sunak facing fresh rebellion
Labour’s Sadiq Khan secures third term as Mayor of London, beating Conservative Susan Hall
Rishi Sunak is facing fresh Conservative unrest after Labour claimed victory in the West Midlands mayoral election, beating Andy Street in a tight race.
The newly elected mayor, Richard Parker, secured a majority against his Conservative opponent who has served two terms and held office since 2017.
The result is the latest in a string of Labour mayoral and council wins nationwide as the Conservatives suffered historic blows. “I don’t think he’s out of the woods,” a former minister told the Financial Times, referring to Mr Sunak’s position.
Meanwhile, Labour’s Sadiq Khan secured a third term as Mayor of London beating Conservative Susan Hall.
Mr Sunak also suffered terrible losses in council elections as the Conservatives lost more than 400 councillors and control of ten councils.
State of play
Total no of councils - Lab 50 (+8) | Lib Dem: 12 (+ 2)| Con: 6 (-10) | Ind & Others: 1 (+1) | Greens: 0 | NOC: 36 (-1)
Councillors - Lab 1,140 (+185) | Lib Dem: 521 (+104) | Con: 513 (-473) | Ind & Others: 228 (+93) | Green: 181 (+74) | RA 48 (+11) | Workers Party of Britain 4 (+4) | Reform 2 (+2)
Plot to topple Sunak called off despite dire election results
Conservative MPs considering a move to topple Mr Sunak were holding their counsel until all the results were in, as a rumoured plot to remove the prime minister appears to have died down.
Speaking to The Independent, one former cabinet minister said they “cannot comment until I know what has happened in the West Midlands and London”.
Dame Andrea Jenkyns, a Boris Johnson supporter, already has her letter in to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady asking for a vote but said: “MPs are just too paralysed to do anything.”
However, another senior MP who has been involved with plotters said: “I think it is over. Rishi will lead us into the next election. The results were bad but no worse than already accounted for.”
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