Counting was still underway in 230 local authorities across England as of 10am on Friday after the nation held its local elections on Thursday (May 8).
Early results indicate a major blow to the Tories with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak already labelling the situation 'disappointing'. In Greater Manchester, the Tories lost seven seats overnight while failing to make any headway into Salford's Labour majority.
A historical Conservative majority council has also been struck hard, changing to a Labour majority for the first time in nearly 30 years. The results spell bad news for the Conservative Party who will have some extra work on their hand for the upcoming general election year.
Here's a breakdown of all the key results that have happened so far...
Medway (Lab gain from Con)
Labour had indicated its priority for this Kent council. In fact, Sir Keir Starmer visited the area on the final day of the election campaign.
Overall, Labour ended up gaining 13 seats, enough to take full control of Medway for the first time since 1998. The Conservatives lost 11 seats and overall control. The new council sees Labour on 33 and the Tories on 22, with four independents.
Windsor & Maidenhead (Lib Dems gain from Conservatives)
In another big setback for the Tories, the party lost 15 seats and overall control, while the Liberal Democrats clocked up 12 gains. It is the first time since 2007 the council has a Lib Dem majority.
Stoke-on-Trent (Labour gain from no overall control)
This was a key Labour target in what will be one of the main battlegrounds at the next general election. Labour gained a hefty 17 seats on the council, while the Conservatives lost eight and independents lost nine. Stoke was once solid Labour territory at general elections but the Tories won all three constituencies in the city in 2019.
North West Leicestershire (Conservatives lose to no overall control)
Labour gained 10 seats here, enough to leave them the largest party but short of an overall majority. The Lib Dems gained a seat, while the Conservatives lost 10 and the Greens lost one. This is the area of the country represented at Westminster by Andrew Bridgen MP, who was recently expelled from the Conservatives for comparing Covid vaccines to the Holocaust.
Plymouth (Labour gain from no overall control)
This was one of Labour’s top targets in southern England. The party will be pleased with the result, taking overall control with seven gains. The council had been run by a minority Conservative administration, which came in for criticism after chopping down 110 healthy city centre trees overnight – a decision that may be linked to the Tories losing five seats.
Tamworth (Conservatives lose to no overall control)
Labour made seven gains in Tamworth while the Tories lost five. This was enough to deprive the Tories of full control of the council and, although they remain the largest party with 14 seats, Labour is now close behind on 10 while independents have six.
Brentwood (Con lose to no overall control)
This is another council where the Conservatives lost control, although here it was the Liberal Democrats who made the running, gaining three seats while the Tories lost three. The new council sees the Lib Dems and Tories tied on 17 seats, with two for Labour and one independent.
Bolton (no overall control)
Every seat in Bolton was up for grabs this year, and while it remains in no overall control there has been a big change in the numbers. Before the election the Tories were the largest party and had run the council as a minority administration. They have now lost nine seats and dropped into second place behind Labour, who gained seven seats. The line-up of the new council is Labour 26, Conservative 17, independents 11, Lib Dems six.
Hertsmere (Conservatives lose to no overall control)
The Conservatives may have faced a pincer movement in Hertsmere. The party lost 13 seats, while Labour gained seven and the Lib Dems gained six. The new council sees the Tories and Labour on an almost level-pegging, on 16 and 14 seats respectively, with the Lib Dems on nine.
Worcester (no overall control)
Worcester has remained in no overall control but the result shows the Conservatives, who were the largest party, faced a challenge from all sides. They lost a total of seven seats while the Greens gained four, the Liberal Democrats two and Labour one. The new council sees Labour the largest party with most seats (13), followed by the Greens (10), the Tories (eight) and Lib Dems (four).
Read next:
