Labour has won control of a string of Leave-voting councils as results roll in from the local elections across England and Wales.

The party was also buoyed by victory in the Blackpool South by-election, with a 26.33% swing from the Tories.

Among the key council gains, Labour took Rushmoor in Hampshire, which the Conservatives had run for the last 24 years.

It also seized Redditch in the West Midlands, turning a Conservative majority of five into a Labour majority of 15.

Read more:
Winners and losers
Follow the results as they come in

And Labour has retaken Hartlepool Council – the scene of a major by-election loss back in 2021, which led Sir Keir Starmer to consider quitting as leader – and Thurrock in Essex, from no overall control, saying it was “exactly the kind of place we need to be winning to gain a majority in a general election”.

And the party replaced the Tories as the largest party on Peterborough Council which, while remaining under no overall control, saw the Conservatives lose 13 of the 16 seats they were defending.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives lost control of North East Lincolnshire after Labour won five of the seats up for grabs – with neither party now holding a majority on the council.

All six areas overwhelmingly voted Leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum, with Thurrock supporting it by 72.3%, North East Lincolnshire by 69.9%, Hartlepool by 69.6%, Redditch by 62.3%, Peterborough by 60.9% and Rushmoor by 58.2%.

However, Labour lost control in its traditional heartland of Oldham, which has a large Muslim population, with many blaming the party’s stance on the conflict in Gaza.

And while keeping its grip on Newcastle, it saw a number of seats fall to the Greens.

The Tories also clung on by a single seat in Harlow, a council targeted by Sir Keir on the eve of polling day.

In other important developments:

• Labour held on to Sunderland Council
• It also kept control of South Tyneside and Chorley
• The Tories held on to other councils in Hertfordshire, Hampshire and Essex

More than 2,600 council seats across 107 councils were up for grabs in England, alongside 11 mayoral elections, a parliamentary seat and police and crime commissioners throughout England and Wales – with many of the results still coming in.

But early signs show Labour is winning back seats in areas it lost over the Brexit debate, as well as making gains in traditionally Tory voting councils.

Read more:
Labour gains new MP with Blackpool by-election win

‘People crying out for change’ – Labour

Tory party chairman Richard Holden told Sky News it had been a “tough night” for the Conservatives, but argued it was coming off a “very high watermark set of elections in 2021” and “typical for a government in midterm”.

But he said: “I do feel sorry for a lot of my Conservative colleagues who have been out campaigning with across the country over the last few weeks and months who haven’t managed to hold their seats.”

However, he argued voters had not suggested they want to see “more change” within the Conservative Party, when pressed over Rishi Sunak’s position as leader and insisted the party “will be ready” whenever the election was called.

Labour’s shadow environment secretary Steve Reed told Sky News that while it was “early days”, the results so far were showing positive signs for Labour come the next general election.

“These are not polls,” he said. “These are people getting off their backsides, going out of their homes, into a polling station, putting a cross on a party that they want to govern their local area.

“People are crying out for change. I know that from speaking to people on the doorsteps and tonight, it looks like people around the country are voting for change.”

But while Tory MP James Daly said he “fully accepts” the loss of these councils, he insisted to Sky News his party could “still win in parts of the country where historically Labour have dominated” – including in Teeside, where Conservative Lord Houchen is defending his mayoralty.

Analysis:
Story of the night in charts
Blackpool is a big step to No 10 for Starmer
Tories in real trouble but Reform threat not all good for Labour

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Tories better some predictions but Lib Dems ‘buoyed’

The Conservatives bucked predictions in Harlow in Essex where it managed to keep control of the council – although its majority fell from 11 to one, and Labour gained five seats.

The party also held on to Broxbourne Council in Hertfordshire – an authority it has run for its entire 52-year history – and Fareham in Hampshire, though in the latter the Liberal Democrats picked up four seats.

A Lib Dem source said they were “buoyed” by their results overnight, claiming it set them up to take seats off the Tories at the next election.

“This is just a taster of what is to come throughout Friday in the Blue Wall,” they added.

Reform UK is performing well, racking up an average vote share of between 14% and 15%, and pushing the Conservatives into third place in some areas, including Sunderland.

However, it isn’t fielding candidates everywhere – instead targeting Leave seats where its predecessors, the Brexit Party and UKIP, performed well – and has yet to win a seat or council for itself.

Hit sitcom Gavin & Stacey will return for its “last ever episode” on Christmas Day, James Corden has announced.

Corden posted a picture on his Instagram of himself and co-creator Ruth Jones holding a script.

The text on its cover reads: “Gavin & Stacey: the finale. Written by James Corden and Ruth Jones 2024.”

In the caption, Corden added: “Some news…It’s official!”

“We have finished writing the last ever episode of Gavin & Stacey. See you on Christmas Day, BBC One. Love Ruth and James.”

The series, which is primarily filmed in South Wales, first aired in 2007 and lasted for three series, before returning for a special in 2019.

The comedy follows the blossoming romance of Gavin Shipman (Matthew Horne) and Stacey West (Joanna Page). Shipman is from Essex and West is from Barry in Wales.

Corden and Jones appear as their respective best friends Smithy and Nessa.

Nessa’s catchphrase – “what’s occurring?” – is one of many widely quoted lines from the programme.

Other well-known actors in the cast include Rob Brydon, Melanie Walters, Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb.

A Christmas Day return for the series had been rumoured earlier this year after reports in US media.

Jones had previously denied the claims, but now the show’s comeback has been officially confirmed.

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The last special ended on a cliffhanger as audiences eagerly awaited Smithy’s response to Nessa’s marriage proposal.

The 2019 special was watched by around 18 million viewers.

The Conservatives are on track for their worst local election results ever – as counting continues.

In a strong night for Labour, the party has taken control of a string of Leave-voting councils and won the Blackpool South by-election.

It’s a bleaker outlook for the Tories, who in some areas have been pushed into third place by Reform UK.

Follow live: Keir Starmer hails ‘seismic’ Blackpool South by-election win

As the count continues, here’s what you need to know about where the major parties stand.

Labour

With a third of council results in at first light on Friday, “what is clear is Labour is on the march“, according to Sky News’ political correspondent Tamara Cohen.

Labour won the Blackpool South by-election. Labour candidate Chris Webb will become the area’s new MP, taking over from former Conservative member Scott Benton.

While the result had been largely expected, Sir Keir Starmer hailed Labour’s 58.9% vote share as a “seismic” victory and called it the “most important” result of Thursday’s elections.

Sky News’ chief political correspondent Jon Craig said that assessment was right: “After all, this was a parliamentary election, not the pavements and potholes of town hall elections, and produced a damning verdict on Rishi Sunak and his government.”

Labour won Rushmoor in Hampshire from the Conservatives for the first time and also gained Redditch from the Tories.

In a blow to Labour, it lost Oldham to no overall control.

Hartlepool and Thurrock were both gained by Labour from no overall control.

Labour held on to Sunderland Council and kept control of South Tyneside, Chorley and Newcastle.

The party replaced the Tories as the largest party on Peterborough Council which, while remaining under no overall control, saw the Conservatives lose 13 of the 16 seats they were defending.

Labour lost seats in some of its more traditional areas where there is a high Muslim population, such as Newcastle, with critics putting the failures down to the party’s positioning on the conflict in Gaza.

Conservatives

The results overnight showed the Conservatives are “in serious trouble“, with what could be “one of the party’s worst ever performances”, according to Sky News’ election analyst Professor Michael Thrasher.

The Conservative vote was down most – versus 2021 – in areas that voted Leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

The Conservatives managed to keep control of Harlow in Essex by a single seat, bucking predictions it would swing to Labour.

Sir Keir Starmer had visited the constituency multiple times, in a clear sign of its importance. The Tories said the result showed there was “no love” for the Labour leader.

The party also held on to Fareham in Hampshire.

The Conservatives lost control of North East Lincolnshire after Labour won five of the seats up for grabs – with neither party now holding a majority on the council.

Reform UK

Reform UK is performing well, racking up an average vote share of between 14% and 15%.

The party has pushed the Conservatives into third place in some areas, including Sunderland.

However, it isn’t fielding candidates everywhere – instead targeting Leave seats where its predecessors, the Brexit Party and UKIP, performed well – and has yet to win a seat or council for itself.

“Close comparisons of change in vote share demonstrate that support for Reform is real and will hurt the Conservatives if played out at the next general election,” Prof Thrasher said.

Lib Dems

Despite losing a seat, the Liberal Democrats kept control of Gosport council.

They also retained control in Winchester, Eastleigh and Fareham.

Greens

The Greens have gained 13 councillors, more than doubling their tally of seats in councils that have counted already.

The party won a number of seats from Labour in Newcastle although Labour retained control.

Police and crime commissioner elections

In total, 37 police and crime commissioners are being elected across England and Wales – although two of those PCC roles are being absorbed into a mayor’s responsibilities, in South Yorkshire and York & North Yorkshire.

The first results came in overnight and more are expected from lunchtime on Friday, with the last results not due until 4pm on Sunday.

When can we expect more results?

There have not been any mayoral results yet, with some expected on Friday and the London outcome to be announced Saturday.

Labour‘s Sadiq Khan is hoping to win a record third term as the mayor of London, running against the Conservative’s Susan Hall, with 25 seats on the London Assembly also up for grabs.

More councils will start declaring around Friday lunchtime after daytime counting picks up in the morning.

The results for most councils will be in by Friday night.

Salford is the final council due to declare on Sunday afternoon.

Follow our live coverage of the election results throughout the weekend – find the full details here.