The UK’s Conservatives suffer historic losses in local elections as Labour edges closer to power

By PAN PYLAS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s governing Conservative Party is suffering heavy losses as local election results pour in. The results coming in on Friday are cementing expectations that the Labour Party is headed for power for the first time in 14 years at a U.K. general election that will take place in coming months. Labour won control of councils in England it hasn’t held for decades and was successful in a special by-election for Parliament. The results overall make for grim reading for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. But he was able to breathe a sigh of relief when the Conservative mayor of Tees Valley in the northeast of England was reelected albeit with a hugely depressed vote.