Only one party can be happy with the local elections results so far, Ukip. Nigel Farage’s party has so far added 86 councilors to its tally and these results suggest that Sunday, when the European Election votes are counted, should be a good night for the party.
Labour’s results have been mixed to disappointing. Their best news of the night was picking up Hammersmith and Fulham off the Tories. Knocking over one of the Tories’ flagship councils will delight Labour. But Hammersmith is a region where the demographics have been running against the Tories, look at how Shaun Bailey failed to win the parliamentary seat last time.
Labour has also gained control of Merton and Cambridge City councils. But they’ve lost control of the council in the key marginal of Thurrock. They also didn’t take Swindon and Tamworth. Considering that one of Labour’s aim in these elections was to give itself a local government launch-pad for the general election, this has to be a blow.
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