In the English heartlands, the once solidly Conservative “blue wall” has been crumbling. In the recent municipal elections, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens made big gains, while the Conservative Party suffered large losses. This is alarming for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose party lags far behind the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls. George Blundell, a 22-year-old Liberal Democrat, was one of the biggest upsets of the election, winning a seat in the area around Littlewick Green. He attributes his victory to a combination of national politics, local factors, and the complacency of local Conservatives. With a general election expected next year, the defection of voters from the Conservative Party could deprive Mr. Sunak of a parliamentary majority and propel Labour’s leader, Keir Starmer, into Downing Street. Traditional Conservative voters are unhappy about Brexit and aghast at the economic chaos unleashed during Liz Truss’s brief leadership last year. Will the “blue wall” crumble further in the upcoming general election? Only time will tell.
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