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The independent expectations are that the Conservatives will lose more than a thousand seats

and that Labour need to make big gains.

That was the worst, worst- case scenario for the Conservative Party.

You can't lose a thousand seats.

That would be crazy.

Well, now on Monday we have the full sets of local election results in.

And the actual number of the Conservatives lost, all told, was 1063.

So today we speak to senior Conservative David Davis. lost, all told, was a thousand and sixty-three.

So today we speak to senior conservative David Davis, former Brexit secretary,

who tells us that it could have been worse.

Firstly, I think it could have been significantly worse, actually.

I think if we'd had another leader like Liz Truss or Boris Johnson, it would have been worse.

I think the trend we were on then was downwards and it would have been worse than this.

And whilst that is undeniably true, it does raise big questions for Rishi Sunak if he wants to ever lead his party to victory.

Does he appeal to younger, more progressive voters, who he might take

of Labour and the Lib Dems, or does he find a place even further to the right? Welcome to the

newsagents. The Newsagents.

It's Emily.

And it's Lewis.

And John has gone to seek a republic.

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