Kemi Badenoch Finally Speaks Up About Tory Local Election Losses As Reform Surge Continues

Kemi Badenoch, Tory leader, had warned that the Conservatives would face extensive losses in these local elections.Kemi Badenoch finally acknowledged the Conservatives’ significant local election losses on Friday afternoon, hours after it became clear the party is heading for a disastrous set of results.The Tory leader extended “commiserations” to her party’s candidates who had lost their seats and said she was “determined to win back trust”.Badenoch posted on social media shortly after Reform UK took control of its first councils, Staffordshire and Lincolnshire, from the Conservatives.Writing on X, she said: “My utmost thanks to every Conservative Councillor and activist who helped get out our vote yesterday.“Congratulations to those who have won their seats and my sincerest commiserations to those who have lost today.“These were always going to be a very difficult set of elections coming off the high of 2021, and our historic defeat last year – and so it’s proving.“The renewal of our party has only just begun and I’m determined to win back the trust of the public and the seats we’ve lost, in the years to come.”My utmost thanks to every Conservative Councillor and activist who helped get out our vote yesterday.Congratulations to those who have won their seats and my sincerest commiserations to those who have lost today. These were always going to be a very difficult set of elections…— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) May 2, 2025At the time of Badenoch’s post, Reform had gained 231 councillors from the Tories.Labour held onto three mayoralties – Doncaster, North Tyneside and West of England – but Greater Lincolnshire went to Reform UK.The Runcorn and Helsby by-election also went to Reform UK, as they overturned a significant Labour majority of 14,696 by just six votes.Labour chair Ellie Reeves told HuffPost UK earlier this week that the Tories had effectively “gifted” the by-election to Reform by not campaigning in the area.Meanwhile, in another stunning result, Reform UK is also on the verge of taking control of Durham Council from Labour.Badenoch has been laying the groundwork for a devastating set of results in the election, though.When she started the Conservatives’ campaign launch in March, she claimed the Tories’ success in the 2021 local elections was down to the Covid “vaccine bounce”.She said: “This year will be different. This will be the first time since the general election, the greatest defeat in our party’s history, that we fight these seats.“And if you mapped that general election result of 2024 onto this coming May, then we don’t win the councils like we won in 2021.“We lose almost every single one. But I think we’re going to do a bit better than that. But we know these elections will be extremely difficult.”Related...Kemi Badenoch's Authority 'In Tatters' As Senior Tory Joins Calls For Pact With Reform UKRobert Jenrick Says Kemi Badenoch Is Doing 'A Bloody Good Job' Amid Leadership RumoursAmol Rajan Left Bewildered By Kemi Badenoch's Approach To Leadership In Car Crash Interview

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