UK: Local polls punish Conservative, Labour parties

By Muhammad Mussa

LONDON (AA) - The ruling Conservative and the opposition Labour parties suffered heavy losses in Thursday’s English local council elections as voters punished them over the Brexit impasse.

The Liberal Democrats, on the other hand, made major gains, taking over many councils once led by the Tories and Labour. Their victory represents a shift in public opinion as voters turned away from Britain’s two major parties. The Green Party and independents also made gains.

“I don’t think people are happy. The people that voted to remain blame us for leaving and the people that voted to leave blame us because we haven’t left yet,” Tim Warren, a defeated Tory councillor, told The Guardian daily.

“I think it’s almost anti-political. I think a lot of people didn’t turn out and I think they want to punish us for a lack of action in government, if I am honest,” he added.

Looking at the most gains and losses by the numbers, the Tories lost 329 local council seats, while Labour lost 80. The Liberal Democrats, however, won 228 seats, with the Green Party gaining 33 and independents winning 181.

The Conservatives were expected to face heavy losses, with many Tory MPs admitting that Thursday’s loss represented voters’ frustration on the government’s failed efforts to deliver Brexit and failure to address other national issues as well as Prime Minister Theresa May’s chaotic leadership, which has seen a host of Cabinet changes.

Labour was also expected to be punished over its vague and often times unclear stance on Brexit. Many Labour supporters and members, who are pro-EU and are pushing for a second referendum on EU membership, turned their backs on Labour over their reluctance to support an outright people’s vote and delivered their vote to the Lib Dems.

The local elections are seen as a referendum on the major parties’ handling of Brexit, and the Liberal Democrats’ gains point to voters turning their backs on the U.K.’s two main parties.