Local election results: Boris Johnson slammed by peers as key results decided

Sir Keir Starmer’s party further strengthened its grip on the capital, taking the totemic Tory authority in Wandsworth, winning Westminster for the first time since its creation in 1964 and clinching victory in Barnet.

As dozens of Tory councillors lost their seats against a backdrop of the row about lockdown-busting parties in No 10 and the cost-of-living crisis, local Conservative leaders criticised the Prime Minister.

John Mallinson, leader of Carlisle City Council hit out after Labour took control of the new Cumberland authority which will replace it.

He told the BBC: “I think it is not just partygate, there is the integrity issue.

“Basically I just don’t feel people any longer have the confidence that the Prime Minister can be relied upon to tell the truth.”

Local election results: key results so far

– Westminster

Westminster had been run by the Conservatives continuously since the council was created in 1964. Now it is in Labour hands – an outcome not predicted by many, but one that symbolises the slump in Tory support in the capital.

– Wandsworth

Wandsworth is a long-standing Labour target in London and this year the party has finally won power from the Conservatives, who had been in control of the council since 1978 and had prided themselves on charging residents one of the lowest average levels of council tax in the country.

(PA Graphics)

– Sunderland

A poor performance by Labour might have seen the party lose overall control at Sunderland, a council it has run since 1973. But Labour kept its majority and lost just one seat, to the Liberal Democrats, who also gained a second seat from the Conservatives.

– Cumberland

Labour has won a comfortable majority in the newly-created authority of Cumberland, which covers the former districts of Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland in Cumbria – all areas currently represented by Conservative MPs.

– Nuneaton & Bedworth

Labour saw its majority at Nuneaton & Bedworth disappear in 2018 and the party lost more councillors in 2021, with the Conservatives taking overall control. This year Labour has lost another seat to the Tories, in a part of the country that will be a key battleground at the next general election.

– Hull

The Liberal Democrats have gained a wafer-thin majority in Hull, dislodging Labour who had run the council since 2011. The new line-up is 29 Lib Dems, 27 Labour and one independent – but no Conservatives.

(PA Graphics)

– Derby

Labour hoped to close the gap on the Conservatives in Derby, where the council has been in no overall control since 2018. But while the party has made three gains, it is still behind the Tories who now have 18 seats, with Labour on 16, the Lib Dems eight, Reform six and independents three.

– Southampton

This was another top Labour target and the party has won control back from the Conservatives, though it has a slim majority on the new council of just four seats.

– Bolton

Labour had hoped for signs of progress in Bolton, Greater Manchester, a council where they enjoyed a majority until 2019. But while the party has gained two seats this time, the Conservatives also made a gain and remain the largest party with 23 councillors, ahead of Labour’s 19, 13 independents and five Liberal Democrats.

– Worcester

Worcester has see-sawed since 2000 between having a Conservative majority and being in no overall control. The opposition parties were hoping to make gains this year and they have done just enough to leave Tories without a majority, with one gain for Labour and two for the Greens.

– Barnet

It is third time lucky for Labour in Barnet, which has been the party’s top London target in the last three local elections. The party failed narrowly to win control in 2014, while 2018 saw the council swing further towards the Conservatives. This time Labour has won a hefty majority of 19.