UK PM boosted by local polls results

Theresa May's Conservatives performed strongly in British local elections, early results showed Friday, handing the prime minister a boost ahead of next month's Brexit-dominated parliamentary polls.

First results showed the governing Conservatives making solid gains, dealing a blow to the main opposition Labour Party and all but wiping out the anti-EU, anti-mass immigration UK Independence Party (UKIP).

Voters across England, Scotland and Wales went to the polls Thursday to choose nearly 5,000 new local councillors, in the shadow of campaigning for the snap June 8 general election and a bitter debate over Britain's departure from the European Union.

While local issues are usually the main influence in such polls, May's decision last month to call an early general election ensured her own record and Brexit would be on voters' minds.

The prime minister says she offers the most stable leadership to take Britain through two years of tough Brexit negotiations, and she took aim at Brussels on the eve of the local elections.

Speaking outside her Downing Street office, May accused Brussels of toughening its stance in statements "deliberately timed to affect the result of the general election."

Brussels was quick to dismiss the claims, with EU president Donald Tusk on Thursday cautioning against letting "emotions get out of hand" before formal negotiations are due to begin after Britain's June vote.

But May's hardened rhetoric appeared have translated into local votes.

At 1000 GMT and with more than a quarter of the 88 local authorities declared, the Conservatives had control of 636 seats, a net gain of 179.

Labour had 466 seats -- a net loss of 137 -- while the smaller, pro-EU Liberal Democrats, who had been hoping to pick up some momentum ahead of June's parliamentary election, had 167 seats, a net loss of 23.

The Conservatives already have a strong lead in the opinion polls ahead of the June vote, with a YouGov survey of 2,066 people on Tuesday and Wednesday for The Times newspaper putting the governing party on 48 percent.

Labour are on 29 percent, followed by the Liberal Democrats on 10 and UKIP on five, the poll found.