Dogged by Reform, the Tories need to do a good deal fast

LOCAL election results today might be dismissed by the losers as unimportant because they only reflect the views of voters in 23 councils and six mayoral posts in England - but don't be fooled. This is a transformational moment in British election history. We are experiencing a once-in-a-century realignment of our politics.

- Mohamed Amersi

For so long, we had a two-way race between Labour and the Conservatives, but now we have a four-way race with the emergence of Reform UK and the resurgence of the Lib Dems and we don't yet know what the outcome will be.

Will the UK now become like parts of Europe where coalitions are built between parties as a pre-condition of forming a government? Or will there be a permanent alliance between the parties of the Right?

I have been a Tory donor and supporter for many years, but it is clear they are now paying the price for more than a decade of mismanagement in office. The Labour Government meanwhile is like a start-up business; they are learning on the job and making mistakes all the time.

They only won 34% of the popular vote in the 2024 general election, but they have a huge parliamentary majority and the arithmetic suggests they will win again, even if their majority is reduced.

This is an existential moment for the Conservatives: it requires imaginative thinking and bold decision-making. To survive, I believe they must make a pact with Reform. Voters are crying out for someone with charisma to put the Great into Britain again.