UK Conservatives' power base bolstered in local elections

Election count staff tally ballot papers for the local election in Chelmsford, Britain, Thursday May 4, 2017. Votes are still being counted, but initial indications predict large gains for the Conservative Party in these local council elections, which seems an auspicious sign for the party ahead of a national election next month, and bad news for rivals on both the left and the right of the political arena. (Nick Ansell/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

Election count staff tally ballot papers for the local election in Chelmsford, Britain, Thursday May 4, 2017. Votes are still being counted, but initial indications predict large gains for the Conservative Party in these local council elections, which seems an auspicious sign for the party ahead of a national election next month, and possibly bad news for rivals on both the left and the right of the political arena. (Nick Ansell/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

Ballot boxes are assembled as election count staff tally ballot papers for the local election in Chelmsford, Britain, Thursday May 4, 2017. Votes are still being counted, but initial indications predict large gains for the Conservative Party in these local council elections, which seems an auspicious sign for the party ahead of a national election next month, and bad news for rivals on both the left and the right of the political arena. (Nick Ansell/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives appear to have scored big gains in local elections — a barometer of the strength of the party's power base ahead of the June 8 national contest.

With about a fifth of the votes counted, May's party had gained five councils and took the new position of the mayor of the city of Bristol and surrounding area.

The opposition Labour Party took a beating, suffering losses in Wales, a one-time stronghold. The U.K. Independence Party failed to hold a single seat in early counting, as voters switched to the Conservatives.

Labour finance spokesman John McDonnell acknowledged Friday that Labour had suffered a "tough" night, but told ITV that the results were not "the wipeout that people expected" and insisted it is still "all to play for" in the national vote.