The BBC Political Editor argued the dooming results of the local elections for both Labour and Conservatives will have a determining effect on the Brexit impasse. On one hand, Ms Kuenssberg claimed Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will be pushed by his backbenchers to support calls for a second Brexit referendum at the end of the process. On the other, Theresa May will be pressured by Tory Brexiteers to resort to a harder stance on Brexit and deliver a clean break. She said: “Both party leaderships are going to be under pressure to go more for a radical, clearer position on Brexit.

“From the Labour party, I think there will be a lot of pressure from their backbenches for them to be more desiring of another referendum.

“On the Tory side, I think we’re going to see more pressure actually for a harder Brexit or more willingness from Theresa May to drive it through.

“I think Downing Street is going to try to use this as an opportunity to put the shoulder to the wheel in terms of those cross-party talks to get a deal with the Labour party through.

“But I sense that neither the leaderships are really going to be in any mood for more of a compromise, whether there is Jeremy Corbyn or Theresa May.”

We’re going to see more pressure actually for a harder Brexit or more willingness from Theresa May

Laura Kuenssberg

The Prime Minister is facing renewed calls of resignations following the ongoing results of the local elections. 

The Tories lost hundreds of seats, enduring a night of mass councillor and council loses as frustrated Brexit voters took to the polls to vent their fury.

But Labour failed to seize the spoils from the Tories’ loss – with huge gains instead going to the Lib Dems, who boasted of their best night for 16 years as they secured around 200 new councillors, mainly picking up seats in safe Conservative and Labour areas. 

With almost half of English local council vote results declared, the Conservative Party lost 434 councillors and the Labour Party had lost 85 councillors so far. 

Major players in the Conservative Party turned on Mrs May, including former cabinet minister Priti Patel who claimed voters have told her the Prime Minister is “part of the problem”.

She told the BBC: “We need to look at our direction of travel.

“Obviously our party leadership need to look at the situation and make some serious decisions.

“I think we need change – I don’t think we can continue like this.”

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