By IRNA,
London : David Cameron’s Conservative Party is on course to win Britain’s next general election after Labour suffered heavy losses in a series of local polls on Thursday.
Initial results from 100 of 159 councils being contested in England and Wales show that Labour lost 163 seats so far, winning around only 24 per cent of the total votes cast, behind both the Tories on 44 per cent and the Liberal Democrats on 25 per cent.
The losses in what was Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s electoral test since taking office last June represent the worst the ruling party has suffered in more than 40 years.
Brown admitted the results were “bad” and “disappointing” but insisted his party will learn lessons, reflect and move forward, blaming the defeats on the current global economic crisis.
But Cameron called it a “big moment” for the Tories, endorsing the findings of opinions polls that show Labour will lose the next parliamentary elections, that are due to be held by June 2010.
Attention is set to turn later Friday to the race to be London mayor, where Conservative Boris Johnson is seeking to defeat Labour’s Ken Livingstone, who has held the post for the last eight years.
Labour’s heavy losses are being blamed on Brown’s performance, which has failed to turn around the government’s fortunes following its growing unpopularity due to the disastrous 2003 Iraq war and continuing occupation.