Prime minister Rishi Sunak leaves the Conservative Party headquarters in central London, after the party suffered council losses in the local elections.The Conservative Party has been mocked after a dire set of local election results reached a benchmark.
At around 7.30pm on Friday, the Conservatives had lost more than 1,000 council seats – and rising – with some authorities still to declare.
For the last month, Tory party chairman Greg Hands has been telling anyone who will listen they were on course to lose 1,000 councillors.
But it doesn’t take a seasoned political watcher to know this is “expectation management” – a device used by all political parties during campaigning.
Conservatives hit 1,000 losses:
— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) May 5, 2023
???? LAB: 2,552 (+505)
???? CON: 2,172 (-1,005)
???? LDM: 1,548 (+402)
???? GRN: 450 (+230)
The idea is to set out the worst case scenario, so when it’s not so bad you have a positive story to tell. In short, the Conservatives really didn’t think the May 4 ballots would be this bad.
A Lib Dem spokesperson said: “Rishi Sunak has delivered three things in the past 24 hours – pizza, bacon sandwiches and 1,000 seats lost for the Tories.”
Labour frontbencher Wes Streeting said: “I take it all back Greg Hands – I thought losing 1,000 Conservative councillors was a cynical expectation management exercise, not an ambition. What is the point of Rishi Sunak?”
Twitter was enjoying the show too – with the refresh button getting a hammering.
Live scenes as govt attempts to play down losing 1,000 seats: pic.twitter.com/C3Eo48REbT
— Have I Got News For You (@haveigotnews) May 5, 2023
This is now statistically inevitable. I didn't see one person predict a result this bad for them. Not even Greg Hands doing expectation management. https://t.co/iLQlMpLo2Z
— Sam Freedman (@Samfr) May 5, 2023
Gleefully reloading the BBC website and watching the Tory loses pile up.
— Kirsty O'Brien (@CampaignKirsty) May 5, 2023
935 and counting.
That 1000 figure was meant to be OTT expectation management lads, not a target to aim for!
Lib Dem source: "Finally the Conservatives have delivered on something they promised - 1,000 seats lost."
— Kevin Schofield (@KevinASchofield) May 5, 2023
Watching them inch to -1000 like pic.twitter.com/t0PouDN5A4
— Stephen Sutherland (@sjsuth) May 5, 2023
Good thing the Tories didn't go around telling people that it would be a really bad night if they hit 1000 losses then, isn't it?
— Richard Cubitt (@richardrcubitt) May 5, 2023
Countdown to -1,000 is truly great Twitter
— The Columnist ????♂️ (@Sime0nStylites) May 5, 2023
1000 seats lost#ElectionResults
— JR.Hartley’s Armchair (@JRsArmchair) May 5, 2023
pic.twitter.com/BlqJRY3LaZ
Are you hitting refresh just like the rest of us?
— Josh Russell @MVTFWD StopTheTories.Vote (@JoshFwd) May 5, 2023
Come on 1000.
30 councils to go. pic.twitter.com/LTPPNxNabq
Greg Hands(Tory party Chair) biggest nightmare just came true.
— Haggis_UK ???????? ???????? (@Haggis_UK) May 5, 2023
Tory's lose a 1000+ seats in #LocalElection2023pic.twitter.com/I28MbuQxXQ
When we said we might lose 1,000 seats, that was just so could say whatever we ended up losing wasn't too bad. It wasn't meant to actually happen!#ElectionResults
— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) May 5, 2023
"I must just point out that losing 1,000 seats was a one-off"#ElectionResultspic.twitter.com/24Zzx1O5Ir
— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) May 5, 2023
