Labour is “not entertaining” entering into a coalition with the Liberal Democrats at the next election.
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, has resolutely ruled out a pact between the two parties after the local elections showed impressive gains for the Lib Dems.
The Tories shed over 1,000 councillors in total, but only half (536) were picked up by Labour.
The remaining gains were made by the Lib Dems who added 407 councillors to their roster and the Green Party which also managed to pick up 241 additional councillors.
Hung parliament
Similar results on a national level could lead to a hung parliament and a tricky conundrum for Sir Keir Starmer, who may be forced to prop up his Westminster majority with the help of another party.
Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice said the local elections indicated that Labour would fall 14 seats short of a majority in a general election, meaning it would need support elsewhere
The Lib Dems are hoping to win more than 20 seats from the Tories after making big gains across the Blue Wall in southern England.
But speaking to the BBC, Wes Streeting dismissed the idea.
He said: “I know the Conservative Party would love us to be talking about whether or not there will be a coalition after the next general election.
“We think we can win a majority. That’s what we’re working towards, that’s what we’re fighting for.”
“We’re just not in that ballpark”
When pressed on whether he could rule out a pact with the Lib Dems, he replied: “We’re just not in that ballpark of talking about coalition governments.
“I think people can go confidently to the polls at the next general election knowing that a Labour government is possible and within our grasp.”
He separately told Sky News: “We’re not even entertaining that prospect. I just don’t think that is the scenario that we are going to be in after the next general election.”
Sir Ed, who was snapped deep in conversation with Sir Keir at the Coronation service, said his party’s focus was on “getting rid of Conservative MPs”.
“That is a hypothetical question because we don’t know what’s going to happen after the next election,” he told the BBC when asked about a coalition with Labour.
“What I want to do is to win lots of seats – mainly off the Conservatives, some off the SNP. Then you’ll have lots of Liberal Democrat MPs able to push forward Liberal Democrat policies whatever the combination of the next parliament.”
Related: BBC ignores Green Party’s historic breakthrough in local elections