Tories tipped for TWO Metro Mayor victories as working class deserts Labour in local elections
Labour sources told the Sun they fear a huge shift by blue-collar Brits to the Conservatives
THE TORIES are tipped to pull off two astonishing Metro Mayor victories in tomorrow’s local elections – as the working class deserts Labour.
Labour sources told the Sun they fear a huge shift by blue-collar Brits to the Conservatives in recent weeks which could see Tory candidate Andy Street crowned Mayor of West Midlands.
But they added there was even a chance the Tories could win the Mayoral contest in Tees Valley – which includes Darlington, Redcar and Middlesbrough.
Local councillor Ben Houchen is standing for the Conservatives.
One Tory campaigning in the North-East admitted: “I’ve never known a reaction on the doorstep like it. We really do have a chance.”
Victory in either contest would crown what is expected to be Labour’s biggest council election drubbing for 35 years.
In England, there are eight Metro Mayor contests with a further 2,370 seats are up for grabs across 34 councils today.
Pollsters believe Labour could lose 75 council seats across England while the Tories pick up 115.
could also go into freefall with the anti- party expected to lose 105 of the near 139 seats it won in 2013 – which come up for re-election today.
Labour is also tipped to suffer an incredible 130 losses in Wales as every council seat goes on the ballot paper.
Labour’s Shadow Environment Secretary Barry Gardiner admitted the party feared the worst.
He said that with far more county council seats being contested today – as opposed to bigger urban ones – the odds were already stacked against the party.
But he told the BBC: “One would expect we will see a decline in our numbers.”
On the eve of the polls opening, Tory party chairman Patrick McLoughlin urged Conservative supporters to get to the ballot box.
He said: “Every vote cast in the elections today really matters.
“There is a clear choice – the competence of strong Conservative councils and elected Mayors who will keep local taxes down with quality local services, versus the disarray of the rest.”