Polls close in local elections with Rishi Sunak braced for Tory losses

Rishi Sunak is braced for a difficult set of election results which could increase pressure on his leadership of the Conservative Party and the country after polls closed on Thursday night.

Forecasts suggest the Tories could lose up to half of the council seats they are defending in England, with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt saying the party expects to suffer “significant losses”.

With a general election expected later this year, the results from council, mayoral and police and crime commissioner contests and the Blackpool South parliamentary by-election will be