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| Sadiq Khan's expected London mayoral win gives Corbyn reason to be cheerful | Sadiq Khan's expected London mayoral win gives Corbyn reason to be cheerful |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sadiq Khan’s expected election as London mayor on Friday night gave a boost to Jeremy Corbyn at the end of a difficult day in which the Labour party held ground in England but endured a disastrous defeat in its former heartland of Scotland. | Sadiq Khan’s expected election as London mayor on Friday night gave a boost to Jeremy Corbyn at the end of a difficult day in which the Labour party held ground in England but endured a disastrous defeat in its former heartland of Scotland. |
| A win for the Tooting MP over Zac Goldsmith would make him the first Muslim mayor of a major western capital, and give Labour the keys to City Hall after eight years of Conservative control, following a bitterly fought campaign. | A win for the Tooting MP over Zac Goldsmith would make him the first Muslim mayor of a major western capital, and give Labour the keys to City Hall after eight years of Conservative control, following a bitterly fought campaign. |
| Related: UK elections: Sadiq Khan's confirmation as London mayor delayed - live updates | |
| As the votes were being counted, senior Tories and even Goldsmith’s own sister criticised his campaign’s strategy, which included repeated claims from Goldsmith and David Cameron that Khan had shown bad judgment by sharing platforms with alleged extremists. | As the votes were being counted, senior Tories and even Goldsmith’s own sister criticised his campaign’s strategy, which included repeated claims from Goldsmith and David Cameron that Khan had shown bad judgment by sharing platforms with alleged extremists. |
| The former Conservative party chairman Sayeeda Warsi attacked the Goldsmith campaign on Twitter, claiming: “Our appalling dog whistle campaign for #LondonMayor2016 lost us the election, our reputation & credibility on issues of race and religion.” | The former Conservative party chairman Sayeeda Warsi attacked the Goldsmith campaign on Twitter, claiming: “Our appalling dog whistle campaign for #LondonMayor2016 lost us the election, our reputation & credibility on issues of race and religion.” |
| Steve Hilton, Cameron’s former director of strategy who was part of an effort to “detoxify” the Tories, told BBC Newsnight on Friday that it was amazing Goldsmith had been the one bringing back the “nasty party label to the Conservative party”. | Steve Hilton, Cameron’s former director of strategy who was part of an effort to “detoxify” the Tories, told BBC Newsnight on Friday that it was amazing Goldsmith had been the one bringing back the “nasty party label to the Conservative party”. |
| The row could be uncomfortable for the prime minister, who used the line of attack more than once in the House of Commons. | The row could be uncomfortable for the prime minister, who used the line of attack more than once in the House of Commons. |
| Even Jemima Goldsmith questioned the tactics, saying they did not reflect the “eco-friendly, independent-minded politician with integrity” she knew him to be. | Even Jemima Goldsmith questioned the tactics, saying they did not reflect the “eco-friendly, independent-minded politician with integrity” she knew him to be. |
| Corbyn congratulated Khan at the end of a day of results across the UK that were not bad enough to trigger a coup against the Labour leader. Corbyn told activists that he had defied the critics to hang on across England, where the party retained councils such as Crawley and Plymouth and lost 25 councillors, far fewer than expected. | Corbyn congratulated Khan at the end of a day of results across the UK that were not bad enough to trigger a coup against the Labour leader. Corbyn told activists that he had defied the critics to hang on across England, where the party retained councils such as Crawley and Plymouth and lost 25 councillors, far fewer than expected. |
| “All across England last night we were getting predictions that Labour was going to lose councils. We didn’t, we hung on and we grew support in a lot of places,” Corbyn said in a defiant speech. | “All across England last night we were getting predictions that Labour was going to lose councils. We didn’t, we hung on and we grew support in a lot of places,” Corbyn said in a defiant speech. |
| In Scotland, however, Labour was pushed into third place by the Conservatives in a crushing defeat for a party that once dominated the political landscape north of the border. Corbyn said: “We are going to walk hand-in-hand with our party in Scotland to build that support once again.” | In Scotland, however, Labour was pushed into third place by the Conservatives in a crushing defeat for a party that once dominated the political landscape north of the border. Corbyn said: “We are going to walk hand-in-hand with our party in Scotland to build that support once again.” |
| The leader’s positive take on the election results contrasted with a more cautious response from a series of shadow cabinet members who said that Labour had a long way to go before it was on track for a 2020 majority. | The leader’s positive take on the election results contrasted with a more cautious response from a series of shadow cabinet members who said that Labour had a long way to go before it was on track for a 2020 majority. |
| The shadow leader of the House, Chris Bryant, said the party was not “match ready”, while the shadow Scottish secretary, Ian Murray, claimed that people did not see Corbyn’s Labour as a “credible party of future government”. | The shadow leader of the House, Chris Bryant, said the party was not “match ready”, while the shadow Scottish secretary, Ian Murray, claimed that people did not see Corbyn’s Labour as a “credible party of future government”. |
| Related: We nominated Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership. Now we regret it | Jo Cox and Neil Coyle | Related: We nominated Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership. Now we regret it | Jo Cox and Neil Coyle |
| Other seized on the predictions of psephologists who said it was unusual for a party in opposition to lose council seats at this stage of the electoral cycle. | |
| Jo Cox and Neil Coyle, two new MPs who nominated Corbyn, wrote in the Guardian that they regretted their decision, warning that “weak leadership” risked keeping their party out of power until 2030. | Jo Cox and Neil Coyle, two new MPs who nominated Corbyn, wrote in the Guardian that they regretted their decision, warning that “weak leadership” risked keeping their party out of power until 2030. |
| Cameron hailed the Scottish result, saying he would not have believed it possible two years ago. He accused Labour of losing touch with working people by being “obsessed with their leftwing causes and unworkable economic policies”. | Cameron hailed the Scottish result, saying he would not have believed it possible two years ago. He accused Labour of losing touch with working people by being “obsessed with their leftwing causes and unworkable economic policies”. |
| But sources suggested there was some disappointment in the Conservative party that it had not performed better in southern England. | But sources suggested there was some disappointment in the Conservative party that it had not performed better in southern England. |
| Dubbed “Super Thursday”, the day of elections across the UK saw: | Dubbed “Super Thursday”, the day of elections across the UK saw: |
| • Labour achieving 31% of the vote share, just ahead of the Conservatives on 30%, according to a BBC forecast, based on how people had voted in England. | • Labour achieving 31% of the vote share, just ahead of the Conservatives on 30%, according to a BBC forecast, based on how people had voted in England. |
| • The SNP losing its overall majority in the Scottish parliament but easily remaining the largest party with 63 seats, ahead of the Conservatives with 31 seats and Labour with 24. | • The SNP losing its overall majority in the Scottish parliament but easily remaining the largest party with 63 seats, ahead of the Conservatives with 31 seats and Labour with 24. |
| • Labour remaining the dominant party in Wales, winning 29 out of 60 seats, but losing its minister Leighton Andrews to the Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood. Ukip also won seven seats in Wales. | • Labour remaining the dominant party in Wales, winning 29 out of 60 seats, but losing its minister Leighton Andrews to the Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood. Ukip also won seven seats in Wales. |
| The polling analyst John Curtice suggested the results would translate into 301 Tory MPs in a general election, short of a majority, with Labour on 253. | The polling analyst John Curtice suggested the results would translate into 301 Tory MPs in a general election, short of a majority, with Labour on 253. |
| The Liberal Democrats made progress, taking control of Watford council and gaining seats elsewhere in the country. | The Liberal Democrats made progress, taking control of Watford council and gaining seats elsewhere in the country. |
| But the main focus of the day was on Labour’s performance, after a week in which Corbyn had been plunged into controversy over antisemitism claims that resulted in a series of suspensions, including Ken Livingstone. | But the main focus of the day was on Labour’s performance, after a week in which Corbyn had been plunged into controversy over antisemitism claims that resulted in a series of suspensions, including Ken Livingstone. |
| The Labour leader’s allies hailed the outcome, with the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, and the shadow communities secretary, Jon Trickett, calling on critics of the leadership to “put up or shut up”. | The Labour leader’s allies hailed the outcome, with the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, and the shadow communities secretary, Jon Trickett, calling on critics of the leadership to “put up or shut up”. |