UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called the overnight local elections results “disappointing” despite his party retaining the Tees Valley mayoralty.
The Conservatives have lost over 400 council seats, while Labour won the Blackpool South by-election.
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer said voters showed Mr Sunak they wanted a change in the last big test of public opinion before a general election.
Nearly 90% of the 107 councils up for election have declared so far.
Sir Keir said the Blackpool result – a massive 26% swing to Labour – was a message to the Tory leader that it was time to move on and call a general election.
“That wasn’t just a little message, that wasn’t just a murmur, that was a shout from Blackpool – we want change,” he said.
“And Blackpool speaks for the whole country – it’s saying that we’ve had enough now.”
In a rare bright spot for the Tories, Ben Houchen was elected for a third term in Tees Valley, with a much reduced majority.
Speaking at a press event in Teesside International Airport, Mr Sunak said the results showed at the general election election voters “are going to stick with us”.
Mr Sunak said Labour “knew they have to win here in order to win a general election”. But voters know “the Conservatives are building a brighter future for Teesside and a brighter future of Britain,” he added.
Leading pollster Sir John Curtice said Lord Houchen’s success was “heavily personal” and the results are not “particularly reliable” for an indication of Conservative fortunes in a general election.
Lord Houchen denied allegations he shied away from campaigning as a Conservative or the prime minister in his campaign literature. (BBC)