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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Election results: Tory councillors distance themselves from PM | Election results: Tory councillors distance themselves from PM |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Conservative councillors have criticised Theresa May after losing hundreds of seats in the local elections. | Conservative councillors have criticised Theresa May after losing hundreds of seats in the local elections. |
| A council leader who lost his majority said the prime minister should "consider her position" and others said they made gains "despite" the government. | A council leader who lost his majority said the prime minister should "consider her position" and others said they made gains "despite" the government. |
| The Conservatives and Labour faced a backlash over Brexit, with smaller parties and independents taking seats. | The Conservatives and Labour faced a backlash over Brexit, with smaller parties and independents taking seats. |
| Counting of votes continues on Friday. | Counting of votes continues on Friday. |
| Elections for more than 8,400 seats on 248 councils took place amid widespread criticism of MPs and the government over the handling of Brexit. | Elections for more than 8,400 seats on 248 councils took place amid widespread criticism of MPs and the government over the handling of Brexit. |
| The Conservatives, who were defending council seats they won in 2015, alongside the party's general election victory, were at pains to stress the vote was about local services and council tax rather than what was happening at Westminster. | |
| However, by Friday morning they had lost out mainly to the Liberal Democrats and independents on councils such as Cotswold, Winchester and North Kesteven. | |
| The Greens have also won dozens of seats including in Folkestone and Hythe, where they have six new councillors. | |
| Labour have also been losing seats, including in strongholds such as Bolsover, where they lost their majority amid a surge in support for independents. | |
| The Tories lost Cotswold District Council after 16 years, with the Liberal Democrats now in charge. | |
| Conservative group leader Tony Berry said it was a "very unusual set of circumstances". | Conservative group leader Tony Berry said it was a "very unusual set of circumstances". |
| He blamed Brexit and "professional politicians who are basically working for themselves rather than necessarily what is best for the country". | He blamed Brexit and "professional politicians who are basically working for themselves rather than necessarily what is best for the country". |
| Asked his message to Theresa May, he said: "I would ask her to consider her position very carefully." | Asked his message to Theresa May, he said: "I would ask her to consider her position very carefully." |
| Key developments: | Key developments: |
| In Bath and North East Somerset, where the Liberal Democrats won control, Tory casualties included the council leader Tim Warren. | In Bath and North East Somerset, where the Liberal Democrats won control, Tory casualties included the council leader Tim Warren. |
| Mr Warren said councillors had been "given a kicking for something that wasn't our fault". | Mr Warren said councillors had been "given a kicking for something that wasn't our fault". |
| Asked whether there needed to be changes in leadership or policies at the top of the Conservative Party, Mr Warren replied: "There needs to be a change in action." | Asked whether there needed to be changes in leadership or policies at the top of the Conservative Party, Mr Warren replied: "There needs to be a change in action." |
| In Walsall, the Conservatives took control of the council after winning seats from Labour, having run the authority for a year without a majority. | |
| Council leader Mike Bird said the Tories won "despite" the Conservative government and Theresa May. | Council leader Mike Bird said the Tories won "despite" the Conservative government and Theresa May. |
| "She hasn't helped us make any gains at all - far from it - we made the gains despite the prime minister." | "She hasn't helped us make any gains at all - far from it - we made the gains despite the prime minister." |
| In North East Lincolnshire, another Tory gain, group leader Philip Jackson said the party "managed to disengage national politics from what was happening locally". | In North East Lincolnshire, another Tory gain, group leader Philip Jackson said the party "managed to disengage national politics from what was happening locally". |
| 'That lot in Westminster' | |
| Labour's leader in Leeds said councillors were bearing the brunt of "anger and frustration" about national politics. | |
| Judith Blake said the party had been "punished locally" after losing four seats on the city council, while retaining control. | |
| Labour also lost seats in Wakefield to the Liberal Democrats and independents. Councillor Graham Isherwood said the party was "paying the price for that lot in Westminster". | |
| In Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, a group of independents won an overall majority, a month after taking control from Labour. | |
| Jason Zadrozny, leader of the Ashfield Independents, said politics had been "a bit of a mess". | |
| In North Devon, where the Lib Dems won control of the council from the Conservatives and independents, the group's leader David Worden said: "It was a tremendous night for us and shows that the Lib Dem fight back is well and truly happening." | |
| The Lib Dems also won a 20-seat majority in North Norfolk, something the party's leader in the district Sarah Butikofer said was beyond the party's "wildest dreams". | |
| Either search using your postcode or council name or click around the map to show local results. |