The results from overnight counting show that Labour controls 41 councils, down one from before the votes after losing Dudley to no overall control.
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“We have taken those key wards because we have listened to what people want”, said Councillor Jim Grant (Lab, Rodbourne Cheney).
Labour has increased their hold on Cambridge in the City Council Elections.
“This really is a breakthrough for Ukip in Wales in particular because we’ve never had seats on the Welsh Assembly before”.
Elsewhere today, Alan Amos managed to keep the Bedwardine seat Tory, while Conservative James Stanley was elected for the first time, beating Lib Dem Mel Allcott in Claines.
Elsewhere, in a highly symbolic result, Labour lost the totemic Rhondda seat in the Welsh Assembly to Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood.
Of the 24 seats contested in Thursday’s election, Labour won 18 and the Liberal Democrats won four.
Emma Reynolds, MP for Wolverhampton North East, said the results were “not good enough”, saying the party should aim higher than the results seen.
Former councillors Ian Lewis (Conservative, Wallasey) and Stuart Kelly (Liberal Democrat, Oxton) are back in the town hall – and Labour won’t be happy about it.
However this year even those three seats would not clinch them control of the council chamber.
“I hope that this gain will be reflected nationally as nationally the main opposition is Labour”.
The Liberal Dems took the Milnrow and Newhey seat, giving the party two seats across the borough.
Previous year the Conservatives were close enough to a majority that they made an offer – which was rejected – to the Highwoods Independents to form a coalition to run the council. “We’d like to make Hartlepool a better place to live and work”.
Obviously, with only a third of the council up sweeping changes won’t happen overnight, but by the same token if there are more local gains for the Tories, will the council all but resemble a one-party state? On small things we shall build.
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Ross Greer became the youngest ever Member of the Scottish parliament at 21 after being elected in the West of Scotland region.
