Elections: Boris Johnson admits Tories had a very “tough night” in England

Prime Minister Boris Johnson today made his first comments on the local election results, admitting the Conservatives had a “tough night” in England.

Johnson said his party faced a “mixed set of results” overnight as the votes for local elections in England were counted.

Speaking on a visit to a school in London, the PM says it was a “tough night in some parts of the country”, but also says the Conservatives were making “remarkable gains” elsewhere.

He adds: “The big lesson, the message from voters about what they want us to do… is to focus on the big issues that matter to them.”

The BBC reported comments of some winners and losers of the election.

Cumberland – north-west England

Labour won control of a new authority that is effectively replacing Carlisle City Council.

John Mallinson, the Conservative leader who is now out of office, blamed Boris Johnson, referred to Partygate as an “integrity issue” and said: “I just don’t feel people any longer have the confidence that the prime minister can be relied upon to tell the truth.”

Wandsworth – south London

Outgoing Tory leader Ravi Govindia said the behaviour of Westminster MPs had been raised on the doorstep – citing Neil Parish’s admission that he had watched porn on his phone in the chamber.

He said: “Of course national issues were part of the dilemma people were facing [when they voted].”

Barnet – north London

After seeing the council go red for the first time in its history – outgoing Tory chief Daniel Thomas said the loss was a “warning shot” to the party’s leadership.

He said: “They [Labour] won the council, if they win our parliamentary constituencies as well, then it doesn’t bode well for us to form a government in future general elections.”

Hull – east Yorkshire

Even a Labour leader ousted by a Liberal Democrat took issue with the Conservative government.

Outgoing Labour leader Darren Hale said a key factor in the result in Hull City Council was the collapse of the Tory vote. But his Lib Dem replacement disputed this, saying people had felt failed by more than a decade of Labour leadership in the city.