The Tories are using every excuse in the book and more for their performance and trying to make out the mayoral elections in Tees Valley and West Midlands are the key battles.
The fact that Ben Houchen and Andy Street both actively distanced themselves from the Conservative brand in campaigning is of course completely irrelevant
.
The MP reactions on all sides is pretty woeful really.
"Oh yes although it's been a tough night we have endless mitigating factors that the other lot don't have."
"Oh no you don't"
"Oh yes we do"
"Yeah but our mitigating factors are bigger and better than yours"
"Oh no they're not"
"Oh yes they are"
"The only reason we lost so and so is due to thingmyjig"
"Oh no it isn't"
"Oh yes it is"
"These results represent underachievement for the opposing side"
"Yeah but the scale of underachievement is more for you than it is for us"
"Oh no it isn't"
"Oh yes it is"
Let's call the whole thing off and fuck off down the pub.
Then call a General Election.
Goodnight.