There was no counting of ballots overnight for the Stormont election. Instead it got going at 09:00 (as with the council election counts in Scotland and Wales)

People in Northern Ireland have been electing a government. All 90 seats in the Assembly at Stormont are up for grabs, with five members elected in each of the nation's 18 constituencies.

We're expecting the first results around midday.

Follow our link here for details of the BBC's coverage on TV, radio and online - which includes a dedicated live page later on.

One of Boris Johnson's MPs says his leader has "some difficult questions to answer" after Conservative losses in the local elections.

David Simmonds - the MP in the prime minister's neighbouring constituency of Ruislip - told Today: "Overwhelmingly the message I heard on the doorstep is people were broadly positive about the government's policies, but they are not happy and not satisfied with what they have been hearing about Partygate.

"[Johnson] said he would take full responsibility for these election results and I think he needs to confront it and answer that question now."

Simmonds has gently criticised the PM before after allegations began to emerge about lockdown breaking parties, though has never called for him to go.

Evidence of progress and recovery for Lib Demspublished at 09:06 British Summer Time 6 May 2022

09:06 BST 6 May 2022

Professor Sir John Curtice
Polling expert

The Liberal Democrats were perhaps the surprise of the night. Perhaps we should have been aware they would make some progress, given the Conservatives were down.

The truth is, in terms of share of the vote, their progress is relatively modest. It’s up a couple of points compared with local elections in 2018. It’s also up a couple of points compared with last year.

But that’s meant the party has so far managed to gain 57 seats. It’s also gained control of Hull City Council.

So far it’s outpolled Labour, as far as seats gained are concerned.

Partly, that’s for technical reasons. The Liberal Democrats do tend to advance strongly in smaller, more rural councils where the wards are smaller so you get more seats per person.

But even so, I think the Liberal Democrats might just be hoping – against a backdrop that was not particularly propitious for them – that they’re finally beginning to demonstrate some evidence of progress and recovery from the disaster of the 2015 general election.

It’s taken them a long time.

Image source, Reuters

You might be thinking our coverage of the election results is a little London-dominated so far.

But that's just because the capital is where many of the counts have been completed at this stage.

With just over half of England's councils having now declared results, it also means there are plenty of tales to come as the morning goes on.

Scotland and Wales - where all council seats are up for grabs - are only starting their counts this morning, so expect a rush of updates and headlines through the afternoon and evening.

Results from the Northern Ireland Assembly election are expected to arrive later still. You may still be hearing some of those results being announced over the weekend.

So, although we'd love you to stay with us throughout the day, we know you've probably got other things going on. Here a few key moments you might want to check back for:

• From midday, we're expecting to get the first results from Scotland and Wales - and from the handful of mayoral contests that are happening in England
• By late afternoon or early evening, full results in Scotland and Wales are expected
• By 20:00, we hope to have all council results from England
• Around 02:00 on Saturday morning, we're expecting full results from Northern Ireland. But if things overrun beyond this point, the count will pick up again from 09:00

As always though, timings can be subject to change...

Image source, .

Labour is out celebrating this morning, with its leader, Sir Keir Starmer, saying the party is "back on track" for the next general election.

But while the Tories are disappointed by their losses, they claim these are focused in London, and the party is doing better elsewhere in England.

As you can see from the chart above, Labour's gains so far are concentrated in the capital.

But as our leading analyst Professor Sir John Curtice says, don't let anyone tell you the Tories haven't suffered losses elsewhere too. But as you can see above, the consequent gains are being made by parties other than Labour.

The co-chairman of the Conservative Party is defending Boris Johnson after some ousted councillors placed the blame at his door.

Speaking to Today on BBC Radio 4, Oliver Dowden says the results were "difficult" and "disappointing", and acknowledged "the hurt" caused to voters by the Partygate scandal in Downing Street.

But he adds: "What I have also heard on the doorstep many times is people acknowledge the bold leadership the prime minister has shown [on the vaccine, Brexit and Ukraine].

"We need that kind of bold leadership and determination as we face the challenges we face right now."

Asked how the government would change in response to the results, Dowden says they have to "ensure [we're] not distracted by all the shenanigans in Westminster".

He adds: "What we need to do as we face these challenges is to focus on delivery - that's what needs to change, more of a focus on delivery and focusing on the concerns of the British people."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer describes Labour's gains as "absolutely brilliant" and a "big turning point" for the party.

Speaking to Labour campaigners in Barnet, he says: "We've changed Labour and now we're seeing the results of that."

On Labour's London gains, he says he can "hardly believe" the wins.

Labour took three symbolic London councils from the Conservatives - Westminster, Barnet and Wandsworth.

But although Southampton has gone Labour, the party is making only modest gains outside London.

Sir Keir adds the results have "sent a message to the PM Britain deserves better" and that they put the party "back on track for the general election".

Loss of totemic London councils hits Johnson hardpublished at 08:27 British Summer Time 6 May 2022

08:27 BST 6 May 2022

Tim Donovan
BBC London, Political Editor

In 1990 Conservative success in Wandsworth and Westminster enabled then party chairman Kenneth Baker to spin disastrous results overall into a kind of victory. Now we’ve seen the inverse of that.

While there may be some reasons for Boris Johnson to be cheerful in parts of the north and the Midlands, it will be eclipsed by the loss of these totemic councils. It is a dangerous political moment for him.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan listed every one of the previous Tory leaders who managed to hang on to them – even in bleak times. He has more reason than most to understand the Labour agony it’s entailed. As a local councillor he fought – and failed -to dislodge the Tories from Wandsworth over more than a decade.

Westminster was arguably even more sacrosanct for the Conservatives. Always Tory, the party now felled by what looks at this stage to be a toxic mix of economic woes and distaste for the Covid lockdown antics at the heart of its own SW1 postcode – layered over existing unhappiness about Brexit.

With Labour also winning Barnet for the first time, they now control a record 24 of the capital’s councils. The Conservatives are down to four, not seen since the dying Major days.

Their councillor base is decimated, losing 10 out of 11 councillors in Richmond for instance, along with a handful in Hillingdon, the borough where Boris Johnson is an MP. His parliamentary colleagues in London constituencies will be alarmed.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says the local elections are a "big turning point" for the party as he meets supporters in the north London borough of Barnet.

Starmer's party took control of the previously Conservative-run council last night - it was a target for them - and was one of three local authorities in the capital that Labour gained.

The Conservatives' local election results in London are "catastrophic" so far, a former Number 10 chief of staff has tweeted.

Gavin Barwell - who served under Theresa May - cited the losses of councils in the capital that were long held by the Tories.

Image source, Reuters

It's 08:00 here in the UK and if you’re just joining us – good morning and welcome to our coverage of the local election results.

• In England where just over half of council counts have been completed, Labour have made some gains, particularly in London
• The party has seized control of three councils in the capital from the Conservatives - Wandsworth, Barnet and Westminster – which are seen as symbolic gains
• Outside London, it’s more of a mixed picture, but Labour has taken Southampton from the Tories
• The Liberal Democrats have gained 57 seats across England so far – more than any party – and have grabbed control of Hull City Council
• Losing Tory candidates have acknowledged that negative headlines around Partygate and the cost-of-living crisis have impacted on the party’s performance at the polls
• Conservative co-chairman Oliver Dowden acknowledged "difficult results" but insisted Labour does not have the momentum to go on to win the next general election
• Counting in Scotland and Wales – where all council seats are up for grabs - will begin soon and results will emerge throughout the day
• Counting will begin in Northern Ireland as well – where voters have been electing the Stormont assembly

Image source, .

The outgoing Conservative leader of Carlisle City Council, John Mallinson, tells the BBC the prime minister "bears a lot of the responsibility" for "very poor" results.

Labour has taken control of the newly-created Cumberland authority that is in effect replacing the council.

The Labour party won 30 of the 46 seats with the Conservatives getting seven. The new authority was a key electoral battleground between the parties at this election.

Mr Mallinson tells the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme that Boris Johnson seems to be attracting "a lot of unrest and ill-feeling", and people were "preoccupied" with the cost of living and the Downing Street parties.

He says: "I have to say that issues like Partygate made it increasingly difficult to focus people’s minds on local issues."

He adds Mr Johnson would be a "poor option" to lead the Tories at the next general election, and if he did the party will "pay for it".

Professor Sir John Curtice
Polling expert

The truth is the Conservatives have suffered more or less the kind of losses we might have anticipated from the polls, but don't let anyone run away with the idea they haven't suffered a loss.

It has been better for them the further north we get, but of course, lots of Tory MPs have their seats in the south, and the party has lost ground quite heavily there.

For Labour, they have been wanting to argue these local election results demonstrate evidence of progress. And in London, that's true. It will be even more clearly a one-party Labour chiefdom.

But outside of London, as compared to 2018 when these seats were last contested, it looks like their seats are down slightly. And for a party that is trying to regain ground in the so-called Red Wall seats in the Midlands and north of England, this wasn't quite the progress they wanted.

There is still a very substantial legacy of the impact of Brexit on both the character of the Conservative and Labour supporters. The Conservatives is still much stronger in Leave areas, and therefore Labour is still struggling to make more progress there.

The Liberal Democrats have been the surprise of tonight. In terms of share of the vote, the progress is relatively modest, but they might just be hoping they are finally demonstrating some recovery from the 2015 general election.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has hailed the performance of his local election candidates.

The Lib Dems have gained 57 council seats so far - the most of any party.

He told the BBC it showed that voters had "sent a message" to the prime minister over the "cost-of-living emergency".

The Lib Dems have won control of Hull Council from Labour. Sir Ed also referenced his party's gains in Tory heartlands including West Oxfordshire and Stockport.

The new Labour leader of Westminster City Council describes his party's victory as a "huge privilege".

Labour has won a majority on the council, which has been held by the Conservatives since its creation in 1964.

Speaking at the count, Adam Hug says: "We are delighted that people in Westminster put their trust in us. It’s a huge privilege.

"We are going to work really hard to put their interests first over the next four years."

He adds the council has "big challenges ahead".

The mayor of London has hailed Labour's win in Wandsworth - where his party has snatched control from the Conservatives.

Sadiq Khan said people there had voted to spite Boris Johnson - adding that the prime minister had been a "vote-winner for Labour".

In the capital, Labour have also taken control of Westminster and Barnet councils.

Lewis Goodall
Newsnight policy editor

All the headlines so far have been about Wandsworth - the flagship Tory council since 1978, which has gone to Labour.

But the final result for Westminster - also swapping from Conservative to Labour - is in some ways more extraordinary.

We have known that Wandsworth was trending Labour over a long period. They won all of the three parliamentary seats, including Putney - its sole victory in the 2019 general election - so we knew it was on the cards.

But Westminster was at the upper end of the Labour Party's ambition overnight.

It is the first time it has had a non-Conservative majority since the borough's creation in 1964.

This is the home of the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Mayfair, Park Lane, Marble Arch - all places you don't necessarily associate with the socialist people's republic.

But Labour now controls Westminster.

The leader of the Liberal Democrats says it is looking like an "historic night" for his party.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Sir Ed Davey says the Lib Dems are making "big gains from the Conservatives in its heartlands" - and from Labour in Hull.

He adds: "I said yesterday voters could use their ballots to send a message to Boris Johnson - that he failed to provide the leadership on the cost of living emergency... and I think they have sent that message."

Sir Ed also says the results are "very promising" for the next general election and it will reinvigorate his party's base.

"There is now a real picture emerging across the country, particularly in areas held by the Conservatives, that the Lib Dems are the real challengers," he says.

The Lib Dems have gained 57 council seats so far - the most of any party.

Shades of grey from early resultspublished at 06:37 British Summer Time 6 May 2022

06:37 BST 6 May 2022

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

Local elections like these are not black and white - there will be shades of grey in the results over the next few hours.

The Conservatives are suffering losses, particularly in London - including some significant councils in the capital, like Westminster and Wandsworth.

Sources in the party are admitting this morning that it’s been a difficult night, but not not catastrophic at this stage.

There are many more results to come but is this enough to threaten Boris Johnson’s position? That seems unlikely at the moment.

Labour are doing well in London. The party is delighted about gains in the capital.

But will the same be true in the old Red Wall? It’s not clear that the party is going to make significant gains.

Labour insiders argue this is a turning point - but how much of a turning point won’t be clear until later in the day.

The Liberal Democrats are very happy this morning, having made the biggest gains overnight.

It’s been a good night for the Greens too.

We've yet to get results in Scotland (Labour could leapfrog the Tories into second) and Wales.

And the biggest story of the day could still be in Northern Ireland, where Sinn Fein are hoping to become the biggest party at Stormont.

Image source, .

Labour has won a majority on Westminster City Council, ending decades of Conservative rule in its former central London stronghold.

The council had been controlled by the Tories since its creation in 1964. But as with most of the capital's inner boroughs, Westminster has been trending Labour in recent years.

This election represents a huge shift after the Tories won 41 seats to Labour’s 19 in 2018.

Since its creation in 1950, the parliamentary constituency has always elected a Conservative MP. Its current member of Parliament is Nickie Aiken, who was elected in 2019.

Friday's result compounds a torrid night for the Tories in London, after they lost Wandsworth and Barnet to Labour.