Tories in trouble

In the two years since the coalition came to power there have been thousands of cuts to jobs and vital services, with record numbers on the dole queue while the cost of living rockets high into space.

These policies, driven through under the pretence of "cutting the country's deficit" along with harsh and deeply unpopular NHS and welfare reforms, have not even achieved growth, instead putting the country back into recession.

Add to that all the fiascos surrounding Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, former defence secretary Liam Fox and "cash for access" and it's little wonder that Labour trounced their Tory rivals at this year's local elections.

The Liberal Democrats have inevitably been tarred by association - well, that and they happily voted through massive tuition-fees rises, cruel cuts to essential benefits for the vulnerable and disabled and gave two thumbs up to the privatisation of the NHS.

While the results in Scotland were still coming through thick and fast as the Morning Star went to press it seems that, aside from fierce Scottish National Party competition, the picture is similar to that elsewhere in the country - massive gains for Labour, crippling losses for Conservatives and Lib Dems.

As if that wasn't enough to wipe the smugness from Prime Minister David Cameron's ever-redder face then the fact that Conservative councillors lost seats to Labour in his own constituency at Witney Central, Witney East and Chipping North most certainly will.

Watching the live election coverage was particularly enjoyable as it was like a warped game-show where something bad happens to a Tory every five seconds, complete with glum reaction shots as Tories were evicted en masse Big-Brother style.

In England Labour have taken control of a massive 29 councils, held 39 they already controlled and lost just one, while the Lib Dems suffered the worst defeat in the party's history with the number of councillors falling below 3,000 for the first time and the loss of overall control of their stronghold in Cambridge.

And there were a few surprises too with Labour gaining an astonishing 20 seats to take control of Birmingham City Council, beating off a local version of the Con-Dem coalition which has ruled since 2004.

In Southampton Labour gained 11 seats to take control of the former Tory-led council responsible for introducing widespread cuts worth £25 million to jobs and services, including forcing workers to sign new contracts that amounted to hundreds of staff taking a pay cut.

Former Tory-led Plymouth was another cuts-obsessed council, seeking to save £30 million in three years, which handed over power to Labour.

Meanwhile George Galloway, enjoying a resurgence in popularity of late, saw his Respect Party gain five seats in Bradford.

In Wales the Tories lost the majority of its stronghold in posh Monmouthshire in the south and lost control of the Vale of Glamorgan, while Labour retook Cardiff, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport and Swansea.

Manchester, Bradford, Nottingham and Coventry also voted against having a directly elected mayor in referendums.

Early estimates of the London mayoral race as we went to press suggested that the capital can expect to enjoy another four years of fare rises and superficial benefits such as more glossy buses as Boris Johnson is set to win over his archenemy Ken Livingstone.