Badenoch claims Tories coming back' despite widespread losses in local elections

"We have done brilliantly in Westminster, she said. We have taken back Wandsworth. People said nobody even expected anything to happen in Wandsworth. Wandsworth is now under Conservative control. Look at Fareham, where Reform said they were going to be marching through. Conservative hold. We were told we were going to be wiped out in Bexley. What happened in Bexley? Conservative hold. And our councillors there have actually increased their majorities?"

"In Essex, where Badenoch herself is an MP, losing 13 seats while Reform gained 52. They held on to Harlow, securing all 11 district council seats available. In Havering, where the Conservatives had 14 councillors before the election, the party was wiped out. With Reform making up 39 of Havering's 55 councillors, the Havering Residents' Association was pushed into second place as the official opposition with 11 councillors, while Labour held on to two of four seats with three independents."

"Reform also made gains at the Tories' expense in Suffolk, winning eight of the 12 available county council seats, and in Brentwood and North East Lincolnshire. A further blow came in Hampshire, where the party lost control of the council for the first time since 1997. Pressure has also rained down from Farage's party in Norfolk. In Staffordshire, the Conservatives lost control of Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council, as Reform increased its number of seats from one to a majority of 27, while the Conservatives fell from 26 seats to 15."

Conservatives won back Westminster and Wandsworth councils from Labour in London, and Badenoch claimed this showed the party was returning. The party also held off Reform in Bexley. Despite these gains, Conservatives lost heavily in Essex, where Reform made large seat gains and Badenoch’s party lost 13 seats. Conservatives were wiped out in Havering, with Reform taking 39 of 55 councillors and pushing Havering Residents’ Association into second place. Reform also gained at the Conservatives’ expense in Suffolk, Brentwood, and North East Lincolnshire. Conservatives lost control of the Hampshire council for the first time since 1997, faced pressure in Norfolk, and lost Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire as Reform gained a majority.

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