UK's Conservatives suffer historic losses in local elections

Sunak defiant over chances in general electionLondon Mayor to be announcedBritain's Labour Party urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to call a general election after his governing Conservative Party suffered heavy losses in local elections in England.The Tories lost around half the seats they contested. In contrast, Labour won councils that the party hasn't held for decades, regional mayorships, and a special election for the Blackpool South seat in parliament. "Here in Blackpool, a message has been sent directly to the prime minister," Labour leader Keir Starmer said. "This was directly to Rishi Sunak to say we are fed up with your decline, your chaos and your division and we want change," Starmer added.Sunak has the power to decide the general election date, but it must be held before January 28 next year at the latest.He struck a defiant note after the Conservative Ben Houchen won re-election as the mayor of the northern region of Tees Valley. "Come a general election, [voters] are going to stick with us too," Sunak said.The chairman of the Conservative Party, Richard Holden, said it had been "a tough night.