Conservatives "virtually wiped out" in Bath & North East Somerset election
The state of the Tory Party nationally has been blamed
Last updated 5th May 2023
In the words of its own group leader, the Conservative Party has been "virtually wiped out" overnight in Bath and North East Somerset's local election.
Votes were tallied in the early hours for Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council, with the Liberal Democrats increasing their majority.
Of the 10 council seats held by the Tories at the start of the night they clung onto just three.
In contrast the Liberal Democrats increased their hold from 33 seats to 42; a majority of 25.
Speaking after retaining his own seat which came in the first half of the night, BANES Council leader Kevin Guy said he believed the Liberal Democrats were on track for an "historic victory".
"(It's) the first time ever that a party has retained control of Bath and North East Somerset Council," he said.
"We believe the people of Bath and North East Somerset have picked an ambitious, forward thinking and positive party to lead us for the next four years and even more.
"So a big congratulations to the Liberal Democrat team, well done everybody."
A disastrous night for the Conservative Party in BANES was brought to an end when the result in the final ward to declare, Chew Valley, saw group leader Vic Pritchard lose his seat.
"Well I have to say we're extremely disappointed," he said.
"We knew it was going to be a tight election but this is quite devestating.
"We've been virtually wiped out."
Despite gloomy polling suggesting the Conservatives were set for a bad night across the country, Mr Pritchard told us they had been looking to grow at this election.
"When we stop and evaluate it, it has to be the national portrayal of the Conservative Party (that has caused this result)," he said.
"We've gone through a bizarre time with changing Prime Ministers almost on a daily basis, it would seem that way.
"The core of the Conservative Party have lost confidence and it's a way of demonstrating a protest, for the national party to get it's house in order, so we locally become victims of that."
Mr Pritchard called the situation "abhorrent", saying they now need to reflect on how to move forward.
South Gloucestershire Council declared their results just before 9am.
They say the Conservatives win 23 seats, closely followed by the Lib Dems, who secured 20.
Voting also took place in North Somerset on Thursday, but those ballots are yet to be counted.