LABOUR TRIUMPH AT THE POLLS

THE city woke up yesterday morning to a Labour-controlled council following a devastating night for the ruling Conservative group

Initially needing 13 out of the 19 seats available, Labour romped home with 15 seats, not only snatching back seats taken by the Conservatives but even taking traditionally safe Tory seats, such as Plymstock Dunstone.

As with many of his colleagues Cllr Tudor Evans used his victory speech as an opportunity to suggest that Labour would take on and beat the Conservatives at a General Election and even went so far as to offer his own advice to Plymouth Moor View MP Johnny Mercer. Cllr Evans said he had recently been offered some “unwanted advice” from the former soldier. In his regular email newsletter to constituents, Mr Mercer had praised the Conservative candidates who were standing, but warned that the alternatives were “mind-numbingly dull” and should be “put out to pasture”.

He then went on to note how Cllr Evans was “looking to embark on his 32nd year in Plymouth and I can’t [be] the only one who wants to wish him a happy retirement.” Cllr Evans looked in the direction of Mr Mercer, who was attending the local election count at the Life Centre on Thursday night, and suggested that he took his own advice.