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The Fashion Central
The Fashion Central
Michael Gibson

Tory Meltdown Alert as Voters Flee Before Local Polls

Photo Credit: Getty Images

It’s no secret that Labour’s been struggling lately, dropping from the high 40s in the polls to less than half that in just a year. But as bad as it looks for Starmer and his team, it’s nothing compared to the mess the Conservatives are in right now.

Back in April 2020 — not that long ago — the Tories were flying high. Boris Johnson was in intensive care with Covid, the country was united behind him, and the Conservatives were riding a wave of sympathy, polling at a jaw-dropping 57%. Fast-forward five years, and that support has crumbled to just 22%. They’re now trailing not only Labour but also Reform UK, with the Lib Dems breathing down their necks.

What’s even more alarming is how many lifelong Tory voters have simply vanished. Some have drifted right towards Reform, others left to the Lib Dems, and many just don’t care anymore. A few have even admitted — quietly — that they voted Labour last year, though they’re not exactly shouting about it now.

The upcoming local elections are shaping up to be a disaster. While Robert Jenrick and Mel Stride have had their moments in the spotlight, they’re not household names, and they’re certainly not reversing the party’s decline. The only faint hope for the Tories? A last-minute “shy Tory” surge — the kind of secret swing that’s helped them in general elections before. But this isn’t a general election, and local votes tend to be the perfect outlet for protest.

That spells good news for the Lib Dems, Greens, and Reform, who all stand to gain big as disillusioned voters jump ship. After 14 years in power, the Conservatives no longer have the advantage of being seen as the lesser evil. In fact, for many, they’ve become the target.

And unlike the Blair years, when the Tories were just fighting one opponent to their left, now they’re battling on both sides, with Nigel Farage’s party ripping chunks out of their base.

You don’t need to analyse every poll or breakdown to see what’s happening. It’s becoming harder and harder to even find someone who plans to vote Conservative. That in itself says everything. And for Kemi Badenoch, the road ahead looks brutal. Can she weather the storm if the results go the way they’re expected to? Maybe. But faith in the party? It’s hanging by a thread.

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