Tory MP's defence of local election results shut down by GB News host: 'You were battered by Reform!'

A Conservative MP has been brutally shut down by GB News host Martin Daubney as he attempted to defend the outcome for the Tories at last week's local elections.

As Jack Rankin argued that only Martin viewed their result as a "disaster", the GB News host made clear that the Tories "lost 563 seats", while Reform made huge gains.

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, secured victories across the country and gained almost 1,500 seats, while Labour lost 1,496 seats.

The Tories also suffered major losses, losing 563 seats and control of 10 councils.

Reflecting on Sir Keir's Starmer's address to the nation today, Mr Rankin told GB News that it was "sad to watch".

He said: "I watched Keir Starmer's speech earlier so your viewers don't have to, and to be honest, it was actually quite sad to watch.

"He's hit the reset button so many times now, I think his reset button is worn out. Frankly, he's a dead man walking and I think he's starting to see that today."

Pressed by Martin on how the Tories are feeling about their election losses, the GB News host questioned why leader Kemi Badenoch remains positive despite being "battered by Reform".

Mr Rankin said: "I try to live my life as best as possible as a fallen man, with the immortal words of Rudyard Kipling's poem If - 'You must meet triumph and disaster as the two same impostors that they are'.

"And you look at Reform's response to their triumph, and it was, they've won in all sorts of areas of the country, and you typify ours as a disaster. But we were seven points away from them in the national polling."

Interjecting Mr Rankin, Martin then argued: "But it wasn't a national poll. You lost 563 seats. You were battered by Reform!

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"You're basing your entire 'it was a good night' on one Sky national poll that was done off the back of 38 per cent of the electorate last week.

"The facts remain, Reform gained 1,451 seats, the Conservatives lost 563. You lost 10 councils.

"Do you think it was telling today that Sir Keir Starmer barely mentioned the Conservatives in his speech? He's almost treating you like you're finished?"

Mr Rankin disagreed, telling GB News: "Well, he's doing that deliberately. Last year we were 17 points behind Reform in the local elections, seven this year.

"I've spoken to lots of people on the doorstep who were still unhappy with us and won't vote for us, but they're starting to wake up and think that Kemi is the real deal, and the Conservative Party is renewing under her leadership in an authentically Conservative direction."

In an address to the nation today, the Prime Minister said Labour’s crushing losses "were tough" as the party lost some "brilliant representatives".

He said: "I take responsibility, but it’s not just about taking responsibility for the results.

"It’s about taking responsibility to explain how, as a political and electoral force, we will be better and do better in the years and months ahead."