The Tories won just one of the metro mayor elections across the country.

The Tories’ Bank Holiday blues have gone from bad to worse, having managed to win just one of the metro mayor elections across the country. A shock defeat in the West Midlands’ contest delivered another blow to Rishi Sunak and capped a dire few days of results for the Conservatives.

Here are all the metro mayor results.

Ben Houchen maintains Tees Valley

In what could be something of a political lifeline for Rishi Sunak, Conservative mayor Ben Houchen clung on to his post in Tees Valley, bucking the prevailing anti-Tory story of the local elections. Despite a 16.5 percentage swing point to Labour, Houchen won 81,930 votes against 63,141 for Labour, and 7,679 for the Liberal Democrats. Suggestions had been made that Houchen won the mayoral race partly because he distanced himself from the Tories, a claim which Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom described as “absolutely pathetic.”

Labour’s David Skaith elected first mayor for York and North Yorkshire

With North Yorkshire having been considered by many as a Conservative stronghold, Labour’s David Skaith victory in the York and North Yorkshire regions, represents a new blow to the Prime Minister, who is MP for the North Yorkshire constituency of Richmond.

Skaith won 66,761 votes. Conservative candidate Keane Duncan came in second place with 51,967 votes, with Lib Dem candidate Felicity Cunliffe-Lister in third on 30,867.

Labour’s Kim McGuinness elected as first North East mayor

Kim McGuinness has become the first-ever North East mayor, winning 185,051 votes, followed by independent candidate Jamie Driscoll with 126,652 votes. While campaigning for the role, the Labour mayor said her priorities would be “opportunity for everyone.” Following the declaration, she said: “Today is a really big moment for the North East as we take our first step towards taking control of our own future.”

Labour’s Claire Ward elected first mayor of East Midlands

Claire Ward, a former Labour MP for Watford, was elected the first mayor of the East Midlands, beating the Conservative candidate Ben Bradley by more than 50,000 votes. The Green party came third with 50,666 votes, just ahead of Reform UK. Ward said was “humbled” to have been elected to the role, and that voters had not only endorsed her but also a “changed Labour party that can now confidently and with conviction say we are ready to lead.”

Labour’s Steve Rotheram wins third term as mayor of Liverpool City Region

Steve Rotheram won his third successive term as mayor of Livery City Region. Rotheram beat his nearest rival, Conservative Jade Marsden, by more than 156,000 votes, increasing his vote share by 9.7 points. Marsden received 27,708 votes, narrowly beating the Green Party’s Tom Crane, who got 26,417 votes. Steve Rotheram was first elected as mayor in 2017. In his victory speech he said the people of Liverpool City Region had “just spoken, they have hollered loud and clear.”

“They have two messages – to the government, ‘enough is enough’, and locally, Labour is delivering.

“The road to Downing Street runs through transformative Labour administrations in local and regional government,” he added.

Oliver Coppard re-elected as South Yorkshire mayor

Labour’s Oliver Coppard has been re-elected as South Yorkshire mayor, having won 138,611 votes, equating to around 51 percent of all votes cast. Coppard was first elected mayor in 2022. Following his re-election, the South Yorkshire mayor said that people had the chance to “join with people from across the North to call out this government for their failure to level-up our country, to do what is right for the whole of our country.”

Andy Burnham re-elected as Greater Manchester mayor

Andy Burnham has won his third successive term as mayor of Greater Manchester. Burnham’s overwhelming win saw him receive 420,749 votes, more than 350,000 more votes than the Conservatives’ Laura Evans, who came second with 68,946.

The Labour mayor described the win as an “emphatic endorsement” of his policies.

Accepting his victory, he said he “ready to fight harder than I have ever fought for anything before, for a Greater Manchester where people can live free from the fear of debt, hunger and eviction, and where everyone is set up to benefit from the growing success of our city region today.”  

Tracey Brabin re-elected as Labour mayor in West Yorkshire

Tracy Brabin has been re-elected as Mayor of West Yorkshire in what was thecounty’s second mayoral election. Under the first-past-the-post system, Brabin secured victory over second-placed Conservative candidate Arnold Craven by 275,430 votes to 82,757.

The mayoral position was created following a devolution deal between West Yorkshire’s five local authorities and the government. The re-elected Labour mayor pledged her new term in office would be about “delivery, delivery, delivery,” and said her focus would be on issues  such as “franchising buses, mass transit and investing in our communities.”

Sadiq Khan re-elected in London

In a further boost to Labour, Sadiq Khan clinched a historic third term in London.

Khan beat Conservative rival Susan Hall by more than 276,000 votes, in what represented a 3.2 percent swing vote to Labour. Khan, who was first elected in 2016, won nine of the 14 constituencies including two gains from the Tories. Speaking after his victory, he said:

“We faced a campaign of non-stop negativity. I am proud we answered fearmongering with facts. It is truly an honour to be re-elected for a third term and an increased margin of victory. Today is not about making history it is about shaping our future.”

Labour’s Paul Dennett re-elected as Salford mayor

Paul Dennett has been re-elected for a third term as Salford’s mayor. Hereceived 30,753 votes, almost three times as Conservative Jillian Collinson, who got 10,930 in second place.

Dennett was first elected as mayor in 2016. Following his victory, he said that he believed the “Westminster and Whitehall model” of governing was “clearly broken and detached from ordinary people’s lives.” Calling for a general election, Dennett added:

“The Tories have been roundly rejected by the people in this country, losing nearly 500 council seats across 107 councils in these elections.”

Labour’s Richard Parker defeats Conservative incumbent Andy Street in the West Midlands

In what was a close contest with multiple recounts, Andy Street, the Tory incumbent’s hopes of a third term in the role were dashed.Receiving 225,590 votes, Parker clinched the win by just 1,500 votes – he, slightly ahead of Street’s 224,082, in what was a huge win for Labour.

In his victory speech, Parker said: “This week, the people voted for the person and the party. They recognised a Labour mayor can make a positive difference. It shows that people are calling for Labour and calling for change. People are asking us to govern.

“I hope the prime minister is watching too, because – in case you haven’t heard, Rishi Sunak – our people are calling for a general election.”

Image credit: YouTube screen grab

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