Conservative breakthrough in local elections

Nationally, Conservatives have achieved a 41 per cent share of the vote in the local council elections, our best performance since 1992. We have already made a net gain of 16 councils and are projected to gain 600 seats, while Labour and the Lib Dems are losing seats and councils. Experts agree that this is the kind of result that would lead to a general election victory.

The Party has made a real breakthrough in the North, where we now control 20 councils. With lots of councils still to declare, there are already net gains of over 80 seats in the North - which is more than a quarter of the total gains in England.

Commenting on the Election results, Conservative Party Chairman, Francis Maude, said:

"These results mark a real breakthrough. Our share of the vote has broken through 40 per cent and we're back in business in the North with spectacular gains in places like South Ribble and East Riding - a council we have never held before. We now control more councils in the North West and Yorkshire than Labour and we're now the largest party in Birmingham.

"We've also had some fantastic progress against the Lib Dems - like the 23 seats we gained from them in Bournemouth. Clearly we cannot be complacent about winning the next General Election, but these results provide a great base on which we can continue to progress across the entire country".

The Party have also made gains in 16 other councils in the north: Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton, Bury, Chorley, Crewe and Nantwich, Eden, Ellesmere Port and Neston, Macclesfield, Oldham, Pendle, Preston, Salford, Sunderland, West Lancashire and Wigan.

There was also good news in Wales. Welsh Conservatives are increasing our share of the vote by more than any other party and are gaining First Past The Post seats that we didn't win at the last General Election. Our fortunes are clearly reviving in Wales.!

Stephen Metcalfe, commenting on the local results in Basildon and Thurrock said:

"In every election there are always some unpredictable results and although we made gains it was very sad that we also lost some excellent councillors. Overall however, I think the results are an excellent platform on which to build towards regaining the South Basildon & East Thurrock Parliamentary seat at the next election."

He continued, "The work on winning this seat will start straight away, and I am confident that come the time South Basildon & East Thurrock will have a Conservative Member of Parliament."