Council leader blames Tory MPs for local losses

Essex County Council leader Kevin Bentley said widespread losses "cannot happen again"

A senior Conservative council leader has blamed the party's MPs for losses in local government.

Kevin Bentley, the leader of Essex County Council, told the Conservative Party Conference that lots of councillors were lost "because of behaviours going on in Parliament".

It followed the party losing its majorities on councils across the county in May, including Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock and Basildon.

"If you're honest about it, that cannot happen again," Bentley said to party members on Tuesday.

Bentley's comments came as two Essex MPs - James Cleverly and Kemi Badenoch - continued their bids to become the party's next leader.

Tom Tugendhat and Robert Jenrick are also taking part in the leadership contest, which will be whittled down to the final two next week.

Labour members were jubilant after winning Thurrock Council from the Conservatives in May

Bentley appealed to Conservative MPs to support the new leader and not return to the factions that saw some MPs compared the party to the mafia.

He said: "Whoever the winner is, we all get behind them. None of this five families or that nonsense, I don't want to hear it.

"So we all rally around that new leader and no backbiting, no arguments; 121 of you - you all point in one direction, that's against the people who are destroying this country."