Millions of people across the United Kingdom began voting on Thursday in regional and local elections seen as a key test for Britain’s major parties.
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Voters go to the ballot box today with the ruling Labour administration seeking a record fifth term in office.
Labour is also on its lowest poll rating since 2010, with the YouGov/ITV Wales poll puts Labour on 33% of the constituency vote. The SNP’s majority will be the most interesting thing to watch, to see whether the party’s popularity at the General Election is sustained and they hold their 64 seats or make gains.
In a bid to damp down expectations of Labour’s performance in the English council polls, Mr McDonnell said the party had hit an “all-time high” when the seats were last contested in 2012, in the second year of Ed Miliband’s leadership.
The polls have now officially closed.
“No other party has yet mounted a strong challenge to them”.
The London mayor is expected to be announced officially tomorrow evening – though with all of these, the exit polls should give us some indication of which way it’s likely to go nearly immediately.
Labour: 33% (no change since the last poll conducted from April 19-22).
Sion Jones, of Bethel, is the Labour candidate; while Martin Peet, of Llanfaelog, stands for the Conservatives and Sara Williams, of Aberystwyth, stands for the Liberal Democrats.
Alun Ffred Jones of Plaid Cymru stepped down from his role in the Senedd in March this year after representing the Arfon constituency since 2007, as well as the old seat of Caernarfon since 2003.
Conservatives: 11 seats (seven constituency seats, four list seats).
The remaining seats were held by a Liberal Democrat and three independent councillors.
Video: Elections: What Are We Voting For?
He also said that Ukip’s support had “defied the expectations “of some observers”. But Labour under left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn is divided and beset by a controversy over allegations of anti-Semitism within its ranks.
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Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies, who completed a 36-hour tour of the country, said he wants to “knock an arrogant, tired, failing Labour Party off the perch”.
