Conservatives in Welwyn-Hatfield had a good election night on Thursday 5 May, losing only 2 of 28 council seats on the borough council despite being behind in the polls nationally, with a public angry about breaches of Covid laws by members of the Conservative Government. The Conservatives were also devastated as one of their best assets, longstanding local Labour leader Kieran Thorpe, lost his council election. Although Labour gained 2 seats, they also lost 1 to the Liberal Democrats, meaning a net gain of a mere 1 seat for the group.
Former Labour Councillor Kieran Thorpe and Former Labour Leader. Not the sharpest tool in Keir Starmer’s box.
When I was a school leaver, just entering university, Welwyn Hatfield Council was controlled by the Labour Party. Two large political groups fought each other for control of the local authority. British local government elections have always tended to go against the national government – the public wisely keen to distribute power between parties. After nearly 18 years of Conservative rule they had handed much of local government across the UK to Labour.
Yet now, 25 years later, despite the Conservatives having had nearly 12 years in government, the Labour group on the council only holds 10 seats, slightly outmatched by the Liberal Democrats on 12. Nationally, Labour has only a single Parliamentary seat in Scotland and has failed to make headway in regaining the so-called, “red wall” constituencies.
Why have the Conservatives had such good results locally? Why is Labour failing to make headway in the Borough or nationally?
