Kemi Badenoch to pledge better services with Tory local elections launch

Kemi Badenoch will pledge “lower taxes and better services” when she launches the Conservatives’ local election campaign on Thursday.

The party leader has said that the Tories will “be your voice in your local community”, as they prepare to go up against Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK in the elections later in the spring.

Voters across a number of county councils and unitary authorities in England will go to the polls on May 1, the first major electoral test since last July’s election.

At a launch in the south east of England on Thursday, Mrs Badenoch will announce “lower taxes, better services” as the party’s slogan for the campaign.

“The Conservatives will be your voice in your local community, delivering value for money, lower taxes and better services – so vote Conservative on May 1.”

Elections in nine areas have been delayed for a year amid the reorganisation of local government in England.

In February it was announced that East Sussex, West Sussex, Essex, Thurrock, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk and Surrey have been postponed until 2026.

The move came after a white paper published in December abolished two-tier council areas.

Conservative co-chairman Nigel Huddleston has urged people to vote Conservative for “an efficient council”.

He said: “If you don’t vote Conservative in May, you risk Labour who will break their promises, the Liberal Democrats who will harm your public services, Reform who have no experience of running your local services or the Greens who will run your local services to the ground.

“A vote for the Conservatives is a vote for a strong voice locally and nationally with a proven track record of delivery of lower taxes and better services.”