Overall
A bad night for Labour in Scotland and Wales, but better news for the party in England where it held onto many of the councils it was predicted to lose.
The best news for the Conservatives in Scotland for almost 30 years where the party looks like pushing Labour into third place. However, less good news in England with the party’s share of the vote down by around four per cent since the General Election.
Plaid Cymru sees surprising gains in the Welsh Assembly elections where Ukip could win its first seat. Also a small sign of the Lib Dem resurgence in Scotland.
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Scotland
Labour has lost 13 Scottish Parliament seats, including 11 to the SNP and two to Conservatives.
The Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has secured a seat at Holyrood on the first past the post part of the election by winning Edinburgh Central from the SNP. However Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale failed to gain her seat of Edinburgh Eastern relying on the top-up system.
The Liberal Democrats appear to be bouncing back north of the border with their leader Willie Rennie returning to Holyrood in North East Fife, while the party also took Edinburgh Western from the SNP and held on to the Orkney and Shetland islands.
Wales
Labour are on course to retain power in the Welsh Assembly but suffered a blow after one of its senior politicians was defeated by Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood. Ms Wood's gamble to go head-to-head against cabinet minister Leighton Andrews paid off, with the mother-of-one taking 50.6 per cent of the vote and bringing a massive 21.1 per cent swing in the process.
After 35 first-past-the-post results out of 40 in the Welsh Assembly election the state of the parties is: Labour 23 seats, down one. Plaid Cymru six seats, up one. Lib Dems one seat.
Ukip are expected to win their first seat in the Welsh Assembly under the top up system which comes into play once all the vote are counted.
Councils
Labour has lost control of Dudley council in the West Midlands, but held on to major cities including Birmingham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Sunderland, as well as key southern outposts like Exeter, Southampton, Crawley and Slough .
With results in from 76 out of 124 councils declared, Labour was down by 10 seats, Ukip up 21, Conservatives up 15 and Lib Dems up six.
Ukip has gained seats in Thurrock, Tamworth and Bolton councils. It has also come second in two by elections.
