Tories Brace for Total Wipeout as Farage Predicts “Political Earthquake” – Guido Fawkes

Polling stations for today’s local elections shut at 10 p.m. with 1,641 seats up for grabs across 14 county councils along with six mayoralties. Labour’s got little to lose – they’re only defending around 300 seats – but the party is mobilising resources to prevent maximal damage after a terrible start to government. The Tories meanwhile are preparing for electoral carnage. CCHQ sources are predicting losses of up to 700 seats, conceding they expect to lose control of every single council they’re defending. CCHQ is briefing that the general election betting scandal will somehow be to blame for that…

Farage has been boasting of a “political earthquake” as Reform hope to win over 600 seats. Sources say the mood on the ground has been very “enthusiastic” for the party, and that tomorrow will be a “very good day” for Farage. They’re optimistic about Andrea Jenkyns winning the Lincolnshire mayoralty, and are “hopeful” that they’ll win the by-election in Runcorn and Helsby. Both Labour and Reform activists have been campaigning hard in that seat today, though still say it will be extremely tight. It’s too early to tell on the turnout…

Meanwhile, the LibDems smell blood in the blue seats, with one source saying: “We’re confident – this is our moment to replace the Conservatives as the party of Middle England.” It’s looking like a total wipeout for the Tories…

The timings of the results tomorrow are:

2 a.m:  North Tyneside Mayor (Labour since 2013).

3 a.m:  Runcorn and Helsby by-election. The biggie…

4 a.m: Greater Lincolnshire Mayor. The turnout is looking high…

5 a.m: Doncaster Mayor. Labour activists say it’ll be “tight”…

7 a.m:  Northumberland.

1 p.m: Durham and Lancashire.

2.30 p.m: Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor.

3 p.m:  Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Tories are expected to snatch this from Labour…

4 p.m: Shropshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, Staffordshire. The LibDems are expecting to make gains in the first three…

5 p.m: Lincolnshire council. Another one Reform are hoping to make gains…

6 p.m: Cornwall, Wiltshire, Cambridgeshire and Devon.

7 p.m: Kent. A loss of Tory control here would be a big blow to Badenoch…

Guido will supply up-to-date results as they come in…