The Tories are still on life support so why is Badenoch in celebratory mood?

"The Conservative leader was vocal on Friday about the eye-catching gains her party made in politically atypical London, where the Tories won back the totemic council of Westminster, took the most seats in Wandsworth council and saw off the threat from Reform in Bexley and Bromley. But it was hard to ignore the damage in her own back yard of Essex, where Badenoch and five other shadow cabinet ministers are MPs."

"Reform ended the party's 25-year reign at the local authority, as well as taking the Tory-held Newcastle-under-Lyme and Suffolk, as well as making inroads in East and West Sussex. In parts of southern England, including Surrey, the party suffered losses at the hands of the Liberal Democrats. In Wales it took just 11% of votes, its lowest ever vote share in the Senedd."

"In Scotland its vote share dropped by 10.1 percentage points, compared with the -2.4 suffered by Labour. 2026 election results: latest from local, Scottish and Welsh votes Twenty-four hours on from her exuberant comeback messaging, Badenoch softened her tone, using a sober opinion piece in the Telegraph to talk more gently of green shoots and perhaps conscious of the hundreds of Conservative councillors moodily reading her words."

"Despite the setbacks, I am encouraged by our results this week, she wrote. The Conservative party is rebuilding steadily, seriously and with purpose. We are not asking people to forget the past but to judge us by what we do next. Over the weekend, repeated Conservative talking heads pointed to Sky News's vote share pro"

The Conservative Party lost about 500 councillors in England and ceded control of three local authorities to Reform UK. Reform won in England, Wales, and Scotland, including taking Newcastle-under-Lyme and Suffolk and making inroads in East and West Sussex. In southern England, the Liberal Democrats gained seats, including losses in Surrey. In Wales, the Conservatives received 11% of votes, their lowest ever vote share in the Senedd. In Scotland, their vote share fell by 10.1 percentage points, while Labour fell by 2.4. Kemi Badenoch initially hailed the results as proof of a comeback, then softened her tone, describing “green shoots” and encouraging people to judge the party by what it does next.

Read at www.theguardian.com