By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 06:51 EST, 2 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:21 EST, 2 April 2013 . Ed Miliband’s hopes of becoming Prime Minister will be fatally undermined unless he makes big gains in next month’s local elections, senior Tories have warned. The Labour leader who has boasted of being a One Nation politician is challenged to make gains of at least 1,000 council seats on May 2, including proving he can win in the south of England.  A confident Tory Cabinet minister declared: ‘Bring it on.’ Almost 2,400 seats in will be contested in 35 areas, mostly council councils where Tories and Liberal Democrats will be pitted against each other in head-to-head fights which could threaten coalition harmony. The Tories swept the board in 2009, turning the electoral map almost entirely blue. Four years on they are under pressure from Labour, the Lib Dems and UK Independence Party . However, the Tories are determined to cast the vote as major test of Mr Miliband’s ability to win outside Labour’s northern comfort zone. Conservative strategists point out that in 2009 the Tories were as far ahead in the polls as Labour are now. In 2009, the Tories won 35 per cent of the vote with Labour under Gordon Brown 13 points behind on just 22 per cent, pushed into third behind the Lib Dems. Today opinion polls put Labour up to 10 points ahead of the Tories. According to Tory analysis, on a straight poll swing Labour would expected to win 1,500 seats. A senior source said: ‘They won’t get that but anything other than 1,000 Labour gains will raised big questions for Miliband. ‘He said they are the One Nation party – in which case he they have to be able to operate in the south and the south east. ‘Two years from now he is expecting to be walking into Downing Street and he cannot do that without living in the south.  These local elections are the biggest test to show he can lead a One Nation party.’ Labour hopes to build on gains made in local elections since Ed Miliband became leader, but the party has made little progress in the south of England . Mr Miliband has adopted the One Nation slogan but failed to make breakthroughs in the south of England . However, in the early skirmishes of expectation management, Labour today sought to play down the idea of making big gains. 'We think 200 seats would be a good result for us,' said a source close to Mr Miliband. Aides highlight that just nine of the 35 councils being contested on May 2 have ever been Labour controlled. And in areas where the party once . dominated it suffered catastrophic losses in 2009, including losing 28 . of 44 seats in Lancashire and 29 or 32 seats in Staffordshire. Other councils where Labour is expected to make strong gains are all in the north of England, including Derbyshire, Durham, Nothumberland and Nottinghamshire. The source added: 'We did so badly at the last election that there is a significant mountain to climb.' However, Tories are braced for hundreds of losses after gaining control of seven councils and 244 seats in 2009. Just a year before the general election which forced Mr Brown out of power, Labour lost of four councils and 291 seats. The Greens gained eight seats in net terms while the UK Independence Party made a net gain of seven seats. After . being humiliated by the UK Independence Party in the Eastleigh . by-election, the Tories will seek to portray UKIP as being allies of . Labour, warning a vote for any party other than Conservatives will lead . to council tax rises. Write caption here . Voters . will be told that backing UKIP will allow Labour to gain control of . councils and drive up bills. ‘If you want to put up your council tax, . vote UKIP or Labour,’ will be a key message. Tories admit the elections will be ‘tough’ after securing a ‘once-in-a-generation high' in 2009. UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage today began a Commons Sense tour to woo disaffected voters ahead of May's elections . The Liberal Democrats are confident of . making gains against the Tories in the south, even hoping to regain . Somerset County Council. ‘Taking them will be a bit of a stretch,’ said a senior Lib Dems source. ‘But they are not out of reach. ‘The South West is where we feel strongest in our battles against the Tories.’ Three-quarters of seats the Lib Dems are contesting are straight fights against the Conservatives. UKIP leader Nigel Farage today started a two-week Common Sense tour of market towns and cities where he hopes to make gains in the local elections. It kicked off in the South West of England, where UKIP has traditionally been strongest, taking in Callington in Cornwall, Tiverton in Devon and Taunton in Somerset. UKIP will focus on local democracy, energy policy, wind farms and planning to widen its appeal beyond its anti-Brussels message. The party currently has around 50 councillors at all levels of local government. The party is fielding record numbers of candidates, and hopes to more than double its share of the vote from the five per cent it won in 2009. A UKIP insider said: ‘I would be disappointed if we are not on 13 per cent.’
Tories say Labour must gain 1,000 seats to prove they are on the up .
But Labour claims winning just 200 extra seats would be 'a good result'
Tories admit elections on May 2 will be 'tough' but say Miliband faces bigger test to show he can win outside his northern comfort zone .
Lib Dems hope to regain Somerset and Cornwall in head-to-head battle with Tories which risk splitting the coalition .
UKIP leader Nigel Farage launches Common Sense tour to woo voters .
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 06:51 EST, 2 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:21 EST, 2 April 2013 . Ed Miliband’s hopes of becoming Prime Minister will be fatally undermined unless he makes big gains in next month’s local elections, senior Tories have warned. The Labour leader who has boasted of being a One Nation politician is challenged to make gains of at least 1,000 council seats on May 2, including proving he can win in the south of England.  A confident Tory Cabinet minister declared: ‘Bring it on.’ Almost 2,400 seats in will be contested in 35 areas, mostly council councils where Tories and Liberal Democrats will be pitted against each other in head-to-head fights which could threaten coalition harmony. The Tories swept the board in 2009, turning the electoral map almost entirely blue. Four years on they are under pressure from Labour, the Lib Dems and UK Independence Party . However, the Tories are determined to cast the vote as major test of Mr Miliband’s ability to win outside Labour’s northern comfort zone. Conservative strategists point out that in 2009 the Tories were as far ahead in the polls as Labour are now. In 2009, the Tories won 35 per cent of the vote with Labour under Gordon Brown 13 points behind on just 22 per cent, pushed into third behind the Lib Dems. Today opinion polls put Labour up to 10 points ahead of the Tories. According to Tory analysis, on a straight poll swing Labour would expected to win 1,500 seats. A senior source said: ‘They won’t get that but anything other than 1,000 Labour gains will raised big questions for Miliband. ‘He said they are the One Nation party – in which case he they have to be able to operate in the south and the south east. ‘Two years from now he is expecting to be walking into Downing Street and he cannot do that without living in the south.  These local elections are the biggest test to show he can lead a One Nation party.’ Labour hopes to build on gains made in local elections since Ed Miliband became leader, but the party has made little progress in the south of England . Mr Miliband has adopted the One Nation slogan but failed to make breakthroughs in the south of England . However, in the early skirmishes of expectation management, Labour today sought to play down the idea of making big gains. 'We think 200 seats would be a good result for us,' said a source close to Mr Miliband. Aides highlight that just nine of the 35 councils being contested on May 2 have ever been Labour controlled. And in areas where the party once . dominated it suffered catastrophic losses in 2009, including losing 28 . of 44 seats in Lancashire and 29 or 32 seats in Staffordshire. Other councils where Labour is expected to make strong gains are all in the north of England, including Derbyshire, Durham, Nothumberland and Nottinghamshire. The source added: 'We did so badly at the last election that there is a significant mountain to climb.' However, Tories are braced for hundreds of losses after gaining control of seven councils and 244 seats in 2009. Just a year before the general election which forced Mr Brown out of power, Labour lost of four councils and 291 seats. The Greens gained eight seats in net terms while the UK Independence Party made a net gain of seven seats. After . being humiliated by the UK Independence Party in the Eastleigh . by-election, the Tories will seek to portray UKIP as being allies of . Labour, warning a vote for any party other than Conservatives will lead . to council tax rises. Write caption here . Voters . will be told that backing UKIP will allow Labour to gain control of . councils and drive up bills. ‘If you want to put up your council tax, . vote UKIP or Labour,’ will be a key message. Tories admit the elections will be ‘tough’ after securing a ‘once-in-a-generation high' in 2009. UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage today began a Commons Sense tour to woo disaffected voters ahead of May's elections . The Liberal Democrats are confident of . making gains against the Tories in the south, even hoping to regain . Somerset County Council. ‘Taking them will be a bit of a stretch,’ said a senior Lib Dems source. ‘But they are not out of reach. ‘The South West is where we feel strongest in our battles against the Tories.’ Three-quarters of seats the Lib Dems are contesting are straight fights against the Conservatives. UKIP leader Nigel Farage today started a two-week Common Sense tour of market towns and cities where he hopes to make gains in the local elections. It kicked off in the South West of England, where UKIP has traditionally been strongest, taking in Callington in Cornwall, Tiverton in Devon and Taunton in Somerset. UKIP will focus on local democracy, energy policy, wind farms and planning to widen its appeal beyond its anti-Brussels message. The party currently has around 50 councillors at all levels of local government. The party is fielding record numbers of candidates, and hopes to more than double its share of the vote from the five per cent it won in 2009. A UKIP insider said: ‘I would be disappointed if we are not on 13 per cent.’
Mr Miliband’s ability to win outside Labour’s northern comfort zone. Conservative strategists for Miliband. ‘He said they are the One Nation the biggest test to show he can lead a One Nation would be a good result for us,' said a source nine of the 35 councils being contested on May 2 to gain control of . councils and drive up bills. admit the elections will be ‘tough’ after began a Commons Sense tour to woo disaffected the Tories in the south, even hoping to regain . the Tories.’ Three-quarters of seats the Lib Dems Conservatives. UKIP leader Nigel Farage today