TORIES across Essex fear they will lose control of councils in the May local elections as voters vent their fury over the Brexit shambles.

With 58 per cent of voters in Southend having voted to leave the EU and with no indication that is going to happen imminently, Conservatives fear they will lose control of the council next month.

Echo:

Brexit fears - John Lamb

Conservatives have a narrow majority of four, with Independents set to challenge most of the wards in the borough.

Council leader John Lamb says feedback on the doorstep has not been encouraging.

Mr Lamb said: “Local Conservatives are very disappointed. It’s taking so long and seems to be an absolute mess. They don’t just blame the Conservatives though. All the parties are playing games with our country and its future.

“We had a vote and the people voted for us to leave the EU. Whether you are for it or against it, that decision was made. I would prefer that we leave with a deal but sometimes negotiations are hard and the EU doesn’t want us to leave but that decision is made and they should make that happen.”

Mr Lamb added: “I believe we need a united party in Southend and you won’t have that with the independents.

“I think all of the wards are at risk so we have got to work hard to keep them and we are. We aren’t taking any ward for granted and if some wards need extra help we are looking and those and putting in extra resources.”

Basildon has 42 seats with 23 of them Labour so Conservatives there also have a fight to stay in power.

Leader Andrew Baggott said: “Brexit hasn’t helped without a doubt but it’s only the Conservatives who are trying to deliver Brexit compared to other parties who are saying we can’t trust the referendum. I think people do understand that.

“Locally people are quite angry on the ground but when you point out that our local MPs are trying to do what we asked them to do which is provide Brexit.”

Tory stronghold Castle Point is likely to fair better in May with 27 Tory wards out of 41 and independents only holding sway on Canvey.

Leader Norman Smith said: “A lot of people are saying they are disappointed with Brexit but they do recognise this is a local election and they are pleased with the way Conservatives are running the local council.

“The feedback we are getting is voters are disappointed with all MPs on all sides at not being able to make a decision. “What we ask the electorate is they don’t treat this as a national vote and instead vote on the way their local council has done so well.”

Their concerns have been echoed by education minister Nadhim Zahawi, who warned Mrs May on Saturday she would be signing the “suicide note” of the Conservative Party if the UK went ahead with European elections in May.

His comments were echoed by Tory MEP David Campbell Bannerman, who said MPs and councillors were coming up against anger on the doorstep not seen since the poll tax.