BBC News Channel

Labour MP Nia Griffith - the shadow defence secretary - says the local elections "were never going to be easy" as "the public has been rather turned off politics by what they've seen going on in Westminster".

She also suggested another reason behind the Lib Dems' gains, adding: "Also, of course, the Lib Dems did very, very badly in 2015 - they were virtually wiped out, hardly an MP there in Parliament - and so one would expect to see some gains from them."

BBC News Channel

BBC West political editor Paul Barltrop says it has been a "dreadful night" in Bath and North East Somerset for the Conservatives.

"They won a solid majority here four years ago - it has been turned on its head tonight.

"The Tories have been reduced to a rump.

"The Lib Dems have come roaring through.

"Brexit has been playing a large part in that change.

"This was an area that voted Remain and there is cynicism about the government’s performance."

And he points out that tonight's result means that Conservative MP - and prominent Brexiteer - Jacob Rees-Mogg's constituency is now represented by a Lib Dem at local government level.

Ruth Smeeth, the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent - which has not declared yet - says: "It's a very mixed bag here this evening, it's not a great set of results for the Labour Party.

"The Conservative Party are having an OK night. But really the winners this evening are the independents.

"The reality is from my perspective that the [Labour] leadership need to look at these results very carefully, a genuine post-mortem, because this is a strong Leave area and my constituents just simply don't trust us to deliver.

"We should have walked this tonight," she adds, saying: "We are losing seats in our core, Labour heartlands and we're not winning seats elsewhere.

"We need to decide what kind of political party we are going forward," she says, adding that she wants "clear messaging" from the Labour leadership over Brexit.

Stoke-on-Trent voted 69.4% for Leave in the EU referendum.

She said looking at the spoiled ballot papers, there was messaging including "we don't trust you" and support for UKIP.

BBC News Channel

Caroline Horrill - former Conservative leader in Winchester - says that while the electorate "loved the work we've been doing in Winchester", voters were "frustrated by the national picture".

"They just want a Brexit deal completed," she says.

Professor Sir John Curtice
Polling expert

A few striking features of the performance of independent candidates in key wards:

(1) On average independent candidates have won 25% of the vote in the 69 wards where they were standing

(2) This performance represents an increase of 15 points in the independent vote in those wards

(3) Their performance is not particularly stronger in Remain rather than Leave areas.

BBC News Channel

BBC reporter Sean Dilley is in Winchester which the Lib Dems are on course to take from the Conservatives.

"People are voting not just on Brexit but local issues such as recycling and parking," he says.

"What is interesting is, Conservative sources have spoken about a rather large number of spoiled ballots with general Brexit abuse."

Professor Sir John Curtice
Polling expert

There is little sign of a marked difference in turnout in areas with lots of Leave voters versus areas with lots of Remain voters.

On average, the turnout in those areas where more than 55% voted Remain is down by two points on last year, while in those places where more than 60% voted Leave the turnout is unchanged.

In Trafford, the Conservatives have lost nine seats.

Labour have gained six, the Lib Dems two and the Greens one.

Labour becomes the largest party with 36 seats.

BBC News Channel

"We're really pleased that we have won Trafford," says Labour's Dawn Butler.

"I'm sure we will add to that as the evening wears on," she adds.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says Labour's win in Trafford is "a really symbolic win" for the party.

"For a longtime Trafford was a little pinprick of blue in a sea of red in the north west of England," she says.

"No doubt that is an important moment in the Labour Party."

The Conservative leader of Bath and North East Somerset council Tim Warren has blamed Brexit for the party being well beaten in the local election.

He lost his seat and predicts that the Lib Dems "will take control of the council", although votes are still being counted.

"We had a bad night, to say the least," he said.

"We expected it to be bad, but not this bad.

"We were being told on the streets that people couldn't trust the Conservatives any more, and wouldn't vote for them because of Brexit."