Hope for Sunak as poll shows Tory momentum in mayoral contests

PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak received encouraging news ahead of local elections, with polls indicating that Tory mayors in Tees Valley and the West Midlands could cling on in two crucial mayoral contests.

According to a YouGov survey, Ben Houchen is currently leading by seven points in his bid for a third term as mayor of Tees Valley. Similarly, Andy Street holds a narrow advantage over his Labour rival, Richard Parker, as he seeks reelection in the West Midlands.

The potential victories in these key mayoral contests offer a glimmer of hope for the Tories amidst predictions of significant losses in council seats.

However, while the outlook appears positive for Houchen and Street, the broader electoral landscape suggests challenges for the Tories, with Sadiq Khan leading in the London mayoral race.

The latest polling data shows Lord Houchen with a lead of 51 per cent over Labour's Chris McEwan's 44 per cent in Tees Valley. In the West Midlands, Street has 41 per cent support compared to his opponent's 39 per cent, indicating a tight race.

However, other polls present a less optimistic view, with Redfield & Wilton Strategies indicating a closer contest in the West Midlands, with the Tory incumbent trailing his Labour opponent.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the outcomes, the polls suggest that both mayoral races are highly competitive and too close to call definitively.

For Sunak, these potential victories offer positive news amidst ongoing challenges, including internal party dissent and wider electoral forecasts favouring the opposition.

Meanwhile, the prime minister on Sunday (28) refused to categorically rule out a July general election amid a damaging defection by one of his MPs to the Opposition Labour party.

Sunak was asked during a Sky News interview that his repeated assertion of a general election in the "second half of this year" could also mean July.

"When it comes to a general election, I've been very clear about that multiple times, and again, I'm not going to say anything more than I've already said, I've been very clear about that," said Sunak, who was then pressed five times to rule out an election during what would be a peak summer month for the UK.

"You're going to try and draw whatever conclusion you want from what I say. I'm going to always try and say the same thing. You should just listen to what I said, [the] same thing I've said all year,” he replied.