Cambridgeshire local elections: Huntingdon MP hopeful despite Conservative loss
It comes as Tory leader Kemi Badenoch claimed the party is "coming back"
The MP for Huntingdon has said this year's local elections can act as a springboard for the local Conservatives in future.
It comes as the Tories were overtaken by the Liberal Democrats as the largest party on Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC).
"I'm content given the national trend we've done well here as a party and it's important that we show people we continue on that trajectory and show what a Conservative administration might be able to deliver for them," MP Ben Obese-Jecty said.
Before the count yesterday - which had a 41.58% turnout - the Conservatives held a two-seat advantage over the Lib Dems on HDC, but now that lead has turned into a deficit with the Tories now with 15 of the 52 seats available.
While the council remains under no overall control as no party reached a majority of 27 seats.
"I think coming into this, we knew no overall control would be a likely outcome," Councillor Ross Martin, Conservative leader on HDC, said.
"If we were the administration, that would've been fantastic but if not, we're ready to hold them (Lib Dems) to account as we have done over the last four years.
In South Cambridgeshire, the Lib Dems gained a comfortable majority winning 43 of the 45 seats available and now has 11 seats on Cambridge City Council.
While Reform won 14 seats in the county at these elections.
It was a day of surprises in the county when the city council's Labour leader Cameron Holloway lost his seat to the Green Party.
"We've managed to hold all of the seats we had within my constituency and I think that shows the good work we're doing here where you've got a Conservative councillor," Mr Obese-Jecty said.
"People have repaid that faith by electing them back in."
Multi-party approach
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the party is "coming back" after its performance in the local elections, while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vowed he would not quit after poor results.
But with other parties now gaining more votes, Mr Obese-Jecty feels election habits are changing.
"I think people are voting for other parties, but you have to bear in mind the rules changed so you now only need two people to nominate you in order to stand," he added.
"We've never had as many candidates standing as we have and that's going to lead to some people being elected who maybe didn't exepct to be councillors.
"We've come back with the same seats we went into the election with, which proves where we have Conservative councillors in place, they're holding up well and doing a great job."