LONDON, (Reuters) – Early English election results show that Boris Johnson’s Conservatives lost early in a vote held against the background of a cost-of living crisis and penalties imposed upon the Prime Minister for violating his COVID-19 lockdown rules.

Early results indicated that 53 of the 53 seats lost by Conservative Party members to council elections. Labour Party was the major opposition and had gained one seat, while Liberal Democrats have 27.

Friday’s final tally will provide the best snapshot of public opinion since Johnson was elected to the Conservative Party’s largest majority in over 30 years during the 2019 general elections.

Johnson will be taking the ballot in his first electoral test since becoming the first British leader to break the law during his term. Last month, Johnson was punished for participating in a 2020 birthday celebration in his office. This contravened social distancing rules that were then in place in order to limit COVID’s spread.

John Curtice from University of Strathclyde, who is a professor of political science at University of Strathclyde said “These results confirm that the Conservatives suffered something of an rebuff by the electorate.”

On Thursday, almost 7 000 council seats will be decided by votes, which includes all seats in London, Scotland, Wales and about a third in the majority of England.

Although the night’s top-watched results for London’s 32 boroughs were not yet fully announced, initial count showed that Labour was growing in certain areas of London.

Partially, the results indicated that Johnson’s party may lose control over Wandsworth borough in London. This is its most important council.