3 May 2019; DW: Voters in England appeared to have punished both UK Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party and the Labour opposition, as local council election results emerged on Friday.
Both parties, which pledged to carry out Brexit in their 2017 election manifestos, appeared to have suffered badly, with almost half of council results declared.
While the Conservatives lost by far the most seats, shedding more than 400 local councilors, Labour dropped more than 50 when they had been hoping to make gains at the Conservatives' expense.
The loss of seats meant the Conservatives had lost control of at least 16 councils, while Labour relinquished its control over at least three.
Divided by Brexit
The Conservatives lost most heavily in southern England, where it is traditionally strongest, while the Labour Party had its worst setbacks in its northern strongholds.
Both parties had expected a difficult night, with many voters unhappy at the way each has handled Britain's exit from the European Union.
Brexit has proved a particularly divisive issue for Labour, whose membership is largely pro-Remain but whose leadership is filled with euroskeptics and whose post-industrial heartlands in the North, Midlands and Wales voted strongly in favor of leaving the EU.
Voters in England appeared to have punished both UK Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party and the Labour opposition, as local council election results emerged on Friday.
Both parties, which pledged to carry out Brexit in their 2017 election manifestos, appeared to have suffered badly, with almost half of council results declared.
While the Conservatives lost by far the most seats, shedding more than 400 local councilors, Labour dropped more than 50 when they had been hoping to make gains at the Conservatives' expense.
The loss of seats meant the Conservatives had lost control of at least 16 councils, while Labour relinquished its control over at least three.
Divided by Brexit
The Conservatives lost most heavily in southern England, where it is traditionally strongest, while the Labour Party had its worst setbacks in its northern strongholds.
Both parties had expected a difficult night, with many voters unhappy at the way each has handled Britain's exit from the European Union.
Brexit has proved a particularly divisive issue for Labour, whose membership is largely pro-Remain but whose leadership is filled with euroskeptics and whose post-industrial heartlands in the North, Midlands and Wales voted strongly in favor of leaving the EU.
