Sadiq Khan likely to win London, Labour Party losing ground

LONDON: Britain´s opposition Labour Party look set to lose ground in regional and local elections, partial results showed on Friday, pointing to a dip in support that could challenge the authority of the party´s leader Jeremy Corbyn.

With more than half of the results from local government elections in England counted, Labour had lost control of 43 seats. Labour´s share of the vote in was also down in the Scottish and Welsh devolved government elections.

If the losses are confirmed once all the results are in, it will represent a negative verdict on Corbyn´s first eight months

in charge of Labour after his surprise appointment as leader last September shifted the party´s political stance sharply to

the left.

Labour candidate Sadiq Khan was set to become the first Muslim to be elected mayor of London, loosening the ruling Conservatives' hold on Britain's financial center.