Local elections: Tories make big gains as UKIP and Labour suffer
Written by News on 05/05/2017
The Conservatives have enjoyed a strong showing in local election results overnight, with UKIP’s vote collapsing and Labour also losing a number of seats.
Votes have been cast in elections to 88 councils in England, Scotland and Wales, plus mayoral contests which include six new devolved super-regions.
The Tories have control of nine of the 15 authorities declared so far, gaining Gloucestershire, Isle of Wight, Lincolnshire, Warwickshire and Monmouthshire.
Many of the gains were at the expense of UKIP, with the party losing all of its councillors in Essex and Lincolnshire – the county where leader Paul Nuttall is hoping to win a Westminster seat next month.
The party is yet to win a single seat across the country, a far cry from its breakthrough performance in 2013.
This suggests Prime Minister Theresa May is set for a strong showing in the General Election on 8 June.
The Tories saw off a challenge from the Lib Dems to hold on to Somerset County Council – although leader John Osman was ousted by Lib Dem former MP Tessa Munt.
The party also held onto Dorset, Essex, Hampshire and Somerset, while Tim Bowles emerged triumphant in the contest to elect a metro-mayor in the West Midlands.
Labour has lost more than 80 councillors so far, with a number of disappointing results in Wales.
It lost Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend to no overall control and Blaenau Gwent to independent councillors.
However, Labour managed to hold onto Neath Port Talbot and Newport. Wrexham and Flintshire remain under no overall control.
And elsewhere in Wales, early results in Cardiff and Swansea appeared to offer some respite for Labour.
There was better news for the party in Doncaster, where Ros Jones was re-elected as mayor after taking more than 50% of the vote in the first round.
But things could get worse for Jeremy Corbyn’s party later on Friday when counting begins in Scotland, with forecasts of heavy losses.
The Liberal Democrats have had a mixed night so far, failing to prevent the Conservatives retaining control in Somerset, but defeating the Tory council leader.
Meanwhile in Eastleigh in Hampshire, former MP Mike Thornton secured one of three gains from UKIP.
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(c) Sky News 2017: Local elections: Tories make big gains as UKIP and Labour suffer
