LONDON – Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party avoided a wipeoutin London local elections and eked out gains in Brexit-supporting regionselsewhere, results on Friday showed, denting the opposition Labour Party’shopes of a big win. The elections are viewed as a gauge of public supportfor May as she faces a possible revolt in parliament over her strategy forleaving the European Union.
With two thirds of results declared, May had avoided the kind of widespreadlosses that would have weakened her authority over Conservative lawmakersahead of key tests of her plans to take Britain out of the EU customs unionas it quits the bloc.
“These results are as good as any government party after eight years inpower could expect,” said Tony Travers, a professor at the London School ofEconomics Department of Government.ADVERTISEMENT
“They’ll be a relief for May and the Conservative Party as a whole becausethey’re suggestive that despite the fact the Conservatives are in anon-and-off civil war over Brexit, the Labour Party’s problems are possiblyworse.”