As the last result was declared, Labour remained on 39, the Conservatives on 21, the Liberal Democrats on 5 and the Green Party on 1.
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Tameside saw the Tories gain Hyde Werneth from Labour.
Nonetheless, in the wards with the highest student populations, Labour achieved swings in their favour, most dramatically a 10.7 per cent swing in Castle, although they were unable to wrest the seat from Independent incumbent John Hipkin.
Labour leader Ranjit Banwait said of the election: “What we have achieved is quite remarkable”.
Labour lost four seats and are relegated to third with 14.
Cabinet member for communities and environment capital Nigel North, and fellow Conservative Paula Thacker, failed to hold onto their seats on the council after votes were cast yesterday (Thursday, May 5).
But Bermondsey & Old Southwark MP Neil Coyle told BBC2’s Newsnight that the party should be gaining seats across the country at this stage in the Parliament in order to have a chance of returning to power at the general election.
“I’m particularly pleased with the result in Pensby and Thingwall”. I’ve been the mayor of Gosport, it’s something I will look back on with great pride’. However, he expressed disappointment at the failure to reach out to students, suggesting that changes to voter registration had harmed Labour, going as far as to accuse the Conservative Government of “gerrymandering”. He said: ‘It’s a shame I was attacked because I’m a working man but that’s how politics goes’.
In Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon is aiming to lead the SNP to a historic third term, while Ukip is hoping for a breakthrough in Welsh National Assembly elections.
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UKIP’s success in Little Lever means that in just two years they have monopolised the ward with all three seats – after having no councillors in the borough prior to 2014.
