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Sir Keir Starmer has hailed Labour’s “incredible” victory in the Blackpool South local election.Visiting Blackpool on Friday (3 May), following Labour’s win, Sir Keir said victory in Blackpool South was “truly historic” and the “most important result” nationally.Meanwhile, Britain’s top polling guru Professor Sir John Curtice said the election “could be one of the worst, if not the worst, Conservative performances in local government elections of the last forty years.Asked if the results were “catastrophic” for the Tories, Sir John said: “Not far from it”. More

This is the moment Labour was announced victorious in the Blackpool South parliamentary by-election on Friday (3 May).In the contest triggered by the resignation of former Tory MP Scott Benton following a lobbying scandal, Labour’s Chris Webb secured 10,825 votes, a majority of 7,607.Tory David Jones came in second with 3,218 votes, just 117 ahead of Reform UK’s Mark Butcher.Mr Webb said: “People no longer trust the Conservatives. Prime Minister: do the decent thing, admit you’ve failed and call a general election.”The 26.33 percent swing was the third biggest from the Conservatives to Labour at a by-election since the Second World War. More

Penny Mordaunt has dispelled rumours of a leadership bid and pledged to stand by prime minister Rishi Sunak following local elections.During Business Questions in the House of Commons on Thursday 2 May, Ms Mordaunt also said she thinks something will “crop up” before a general election to turn the tide of public opinion in favour of the Conservatives.She has been one of several senior Tories at the focus of party leadership rumours, compounded this week by reports of a plot to oust Mr Sunak. More

Current Mayor of London and Labour Party candidate Sadiq Khan arrived with his wife Saadiya Khan and their dog to cast his vote at the local elections on Thursday (2 May).Mr Khan arrived early at the polling station at St Alban’s Church in south London, as he also cast his vote in the London Mayoral election.Voters head to the polls today in a series of local elections seen as the final test of public opinion before Rishi Sunak goes to the country later this year.A total of 11 mayoral contests are also taking place, including for the London mayoralty between frontrunners, Labour incumbent Mr Khan and Tory challenger Susan Hall. More

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria arrived at a polling station to cast their votes in the local and London Mayoral elections today.Voters head to the polls on Thursday (2 May) in a series of local elections seen as the final test of public opinion before Rishi Sunak goes to the country later this year.A total of 11 mayoral contests are also taking place, including for the London mayoralty between frontrunners, Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan and Tory challenger Susan Hall.Sir Keir arrived to vote in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency early on Thursday. More

Conservative London Mayor candidate Susan Hall arrived early to cast her vote in the local elections on Thursday (2 May).Ms Hall. dressed in a purple jacket, arrived at Hatch End Lawn Tennis Club to cast her vote earlier today.Voters head to the polls on Thursday in a series of local elections seen as the final test of public opinion before Rishi Sunak goes to the country later this year.A total of 11 mayoral contests are also taking place, including for the London mayoralty between frontrunners, Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan and Tory challenger Ms Hall. More

Jeremy Hunt has responded to former Conservative deputy chairman Lee Anderson’s claims that Rishi Sunak “treated him badly” by suspending him from the party.The prime minister suspended Mr Anderson from the party in February, following a racist rant he made about Sadiq Khan on GB News.Appearing on ITV show Peston on Wednesday (1 May), Mr Hunt was quizzed about what happened.He said: “Lee Anderson made his choice, and he has chosen to leave the Conservative Party.“I think it is very sad that he did that.” More

Sir Keir Starmer has revealed the moment he considered quitting as Labour leader.Sir Keir admitted he thought of stepping down as leader after Labour lost both the Hartlepool by-election and council seats in 2021.In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday (1 May), he said: “It really hit me because my job was to turn around the party and take us from defeat to success and losing hurts in politics.“It was a very very low moment.”Sir Keir added: “I did [consider quitting] because I didn’t feel that I should be bigger than the party and that if i couldn’t bring about the change then there should be a change.” More