We spoke a short while ago to Tory MP and science minister Andrew Griffith, and we started by asking how disappointed he is by the Tories pretty disastrous performance overall in the local elections.
He replied: “It’s disappointing to lose a single Conservative colleague, a councillor, a mayor, a police commissioner.”
He said the party was starting from a high watermark following excellent results in 2021, and added that the country has “been through some difficult years and we’ve had to make some difficult choices”.
He went on: “I’d say we’re starting to pull out of that. We’ve got a clear set of plans.
“But no one should take away from the fact it was a difficult night. We’re not through the whole of the weekend. There’s more results to come.”
The job of the Tory party now, he said, is to show the differences “in really stark terms” between them and the Labour Party.
He had sharp words for Labour, noting that they didn’t win in areas like Harlow or Teesside.
“There’s a lot we have to prove, but every chance that we can do that,” he added.
Pushed on the fact that the Tories are sinking to their lowest number of council seats ever with a general election just around the corner, Mr Griffith argued that turnout is much lower at local elections, and “there’s a lot of people there who genuinely haven’t made up their mind in areas that Labour actually controlled and run”.
He also said the government will be highlighting that Wales – which is run by Labour – has “materially worse” outcomes in health and education.
https://news.sky.com/story/local-election-results-labour-and-tories-now-think-khan-has-won-in-london-amid-wild-rumours-cooper-says-party-needs-to-reflect-on-gaza-after-council-election-results-12593360
