PM promises rivals a fight as Tories promote local elections campaign

Boris Johnson has promised voters more value for money and better services as he promoted the Conservative Party's local elections campaign.

The prime minister said he would fight for every vote in the run-up to widespread council polls on 5 May in England, Scotland and Wales.

Speaking in Bury, he claimed that his party filled in "four times as many potholes" as its rivals.

The polls come amid cost-of-living rises and the lockdown parties row.

The local votes also represent the first ballot box test for party leaders since the war in Ukraine began.

Northern Ireland Assembly elections are also taking place on 5 May.

Mr Johnson, who visited Bury Football Club's Gigg Lane ground, said: "We are, as you would expect, fighting for every possible vote. The case is clear: it's Conservative councils who charge you less.

"We're the party that does more to empty your bins and fill in potholes. Conservative councils fill in four times as many potholes. We believe in delivering value for money."

Mr Johnson, who won the 2019 general election by a landslide, was also asked whether he remained a campaigning "asset" to the Conservatives, having been fined for attending a lockdown gathering in Downing Street.

He replied: "I'm not denying that."

But he added: "I think the asset we have is the dynamism, energy and effort that Conservative councils put in.

"They run councils more efficiently. I think of the work councillors put in, cutting waste, keeping libraries open and making sure they deliver value for money."

The prime minister said the "greatest" assets his party had were "Conservative values and the way councillors deliver better taxpayer value", adding that these were the concerns voters were focused on.

In England, more than 4,000 councillors in 146 councils are up for election in cities including Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and all 32 London boroughs.

All seats in 22 councils across Wales are being contested, while there are elections for all 32 of Scotland's councils.

Earlier this month, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer launched his party's local elections campaign in Bury, whose council is currently Labour-controlled.

One of the town's MPs is Conservative and the other Labour.