Wychavon held by Conservativespublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
Wychavon stays blue.
Image source, .Summary
Labour and the Lib Dems have made gains at the expense of Conservatives in local elections, with the Tories losing more than 1000 councillors and 45 councils so far
Labour would have a nine-point lead over the Conservatives based on today's results, if all of Britain voted, the BBC projects
It has seized councils in key election battlegrounds including Swindon, Medway, Dover and East Staffordshire
The Lib Dems took control of councils in Stratford-on-Avon, Dacorum, Windsor and Maidenhead and South Hams from the Tories
The Green Party have won their first ever outright majority on a council in Mid Suffolk
PM Rishi Sunak has acknowledged some "disappointing results", while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says his party's on course to win the next general election
You can watch BBC News coverage of the results live by clicking the play button at the top of this page
Wychavon held by Conservativespublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
Image source, .Forest of Dean remains no overall controlpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
No change as Forest of Dean remains hung.
Image source, .Conservatives lose West Devonpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
BreakingAnother loss for the Conservatives as West Devon switches to no party having overall control of the council.
Image source, .Growing unhappiness among Toriespublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondentI’ve spoken to a few more Conservative MPs and others this afternoon and there is growing unhappiness at the result.
One MP I spoke to was angry at the way the party had approached the campaign – and what they saw as a lack of support from cabinet ministers.
Another former minister told the BBC: “We need to take a long hard look at where we are from a policy perspective.”
As we pointed out earlier, there are some Tory MPs already calling for a change of direction on tax – with demands for immediate tax cuts.
They could well grow if the result gets worse for the party.
This isn’t a rebellion like the ones we saw last year; which brought down Boris Johnson and then Liz Truss.
But Rishi Sunak might see a few more of his MPs speaking up in the coming days.
Darlington remains no overall controlpublished at 14:46 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
No change in Darlington as it remains hung.
Image source, .Cambridge hold for Labourpublished at 14:46 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
Labour keeps Cambridge.
Image source, .Lib Dems win Dacorumpublished at 14:46 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
BreakingIt's a Lib Dem gain from the Conservatives in Dacorum, Hertfordshire.
Image source, .Labour hold Crawley, West Sussexpublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
Crawley in West Sussex stays the same with a Labour hold.
Image source, .Tories lose North Warwickshirepublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
BreakingThe Conservatives have lost North Warwickshire, with no party having overall control of the council.
Image source, .No overall control hold in Ashford, Kentpublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
Ashford, Kent remains no overall control.
Image source, .Labour hold in Rochdalepublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
No change as Labour remain in control in Rochdale.
Image source, .Lib Dems win Stratford-on-Avonpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
A bit more on the result from Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire that we told you about earlier. Here's a breakdown on how the council seats have changed.
Image source, .No overall control remains in Wokinghampublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
No change in Wokingham - which remains no overall control.
Image source, .Conservatives hold Fenland, Cambridgeshirepublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
Some better news for he Conservatives now who have held onto Fenland in Cambridgeshire.
Image source, .WATCH: The moment Swindon Borough Council went to Labourpublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
The Conservatives have suffered losses in two key councils this afternoon, with the Lib Dems taking Stratford-on-Avon, and a little earlier Labour taking control of Swindon Borough Council. .
Watch the moment Labour councillors celebrated their first victory there in 20 years.
Media caption, The moment Swindon Borough Council went to Labour
Lib Dem gain in Stratford-on-Avonpublished at 14:16 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
BreakingThe Lib Dem's have gained Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire from the Conservatives.
Image source, .Labour wins control of Blackpoolpublished at 14:13 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
Here's some more detail from Blackpool, which shows the Labour gain came mostly at the expense of the independent candidates.
Labour gain from no overall control in Blackpoolpublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
BreakingAnother Labour gain in Blackpool where it was previously no overall control.
Image source, .Lib Dem hold in Three Rivers, Hertfordshirepublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
No change as Three Rivers in Hertfordshire remains Lib Dem.
Image source, .
Labour make key gain in bellwether council of Swindonpublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 5 May 2023
Oscar Bentley
BBC Political Research UnitLabour gaining Swindon is significant. It was a key target for them, and where they launched their local election campaign.
It’s a good bellwether as a straight Conservative vs Labour battle, and while we thought Labour would make inroads we weren’t sure that they’d take control.
It’s the third direct Conservative to Labour flip of the day. Labour hasn’t won the council there since 1999 and it has two Tory MPs – seats that Labour will be hoping to pick up in a general election, widely expected next year.
Only a third of seats on the council were up for election, making it harder to take, and the area voted leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
The Conservative then-leader of the council, David Renard, has lost his seat to the Labour candidate.