Gains. Another blow for conservatives, they also lost a blackpool by election. The third biggest swing in the postwar by election history. Heres our political correspondent, hannah miller. The Prime Minister touring a Military Base with very little to laugh about. Laughter. Trying to defend his partys losses after a dismal set of results. Obviously its disappointing to lose good, hard working conservative councillors, but weve still got lots of results to come as well. And there are also things that i would point to. Harlow, for example, where keir starmer held a rallyjust on wednesday saying that was a place that he had to win to be on track to win a General Election. That hasnt happened. The conservatives did deprive labour of a win in harlow, but they still lost five seats and are considering that a success. The party had also pinned its hopes on ben houchen remaining tees valley mayor, though he wasnt even wearing a rosette. He did thank the Prime Minister in a later show of unity.
Major test of Public Opinion before a General Election later this year. Theres little good news for Prime Minister rishi sunak. At a by election in Blackpool South, his party suffered its Third Largest swing to the Opposition Labour Party since the second world war. At a local council level, the results are no better. The conservatives have lost half of the seats announced so far. Experts say they could be on track to lose a staggering 500 councillors, one of the worst performances at the polls in four decades. Heres our Political Editor chris mason. Cheering. Northallerton in North Yorkshire this afternoon. The Prime Minister lives a few miles away, and look whos turned up to rub his nose in it. York and North Yorkshire, the wider county so often rock solid conservative, has elected a labour mayor. Weve had really good results across the country all day long, but this is a very, very special moment, david, to become the mayor here. And thank you to the team for all the fantastic work