Local elections 2016: Labour campaign chief plays down expectations of strong performance by party

Jon Trickett wants ‘to advance on the 2015 general election results’ where the party received just 30 per cent of the vote

Jon Trickett, left, with Jeremy Corbyn in Harlow on Tuesday (Getty Images)

Labour’s elections campaign chief has played down expectations of a strong performance by the party in next month’s English council elections.

Jon Trickett said he wanted Labour to perform better on 5 May than at the general election, when it received just 30 per cent of the vote.

He said: “We should be looking for Labour to advance on the 2015 election results, where we finished almost seven per cent behind the Conservatives.”

Academics suggest that Labour needs to attract 35 per cent support and make at least 200 net gains to prove it is reaching out to the voters under Jeremy Corbyn.

The former shadow Cabinet minister Michael Dugher said the party should gain at least 400 seats.

Launching Labour’s local elections campaign, Mr Corbyn urged activists in Essex to take the party’s message to every doorstep in the country. He said: “Let May 5 be the turning-point when Labour grew.”