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

The party seized control of Rushmoor in Hampshire from the Conservatives shortly after 3am – a council the Tories had run for the last 24 years – with a spokesman calling the result “truly historic”.

Come 5am, they had also taken Redditch in the West Midlands, turning a Conservative majority of five into a Labour majority of 15.

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Follow the results as they come in

Labour also took 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 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.

Key results at a glance

Redditch – Labour gain from the Tories

HartlepoolLabour gain from no overall control

RushmoorLabour grabbed from the Conservatives

Thurrock a Labour gain from no overall control

North East Lincolnshire – lost by the Tories to no overall control

Harlow – the Tories managed to just about hang on against a challenge from Labour

In other important developments:

• Labour held on to Sunderland Council
• It also kept control of South Tyneside, Chorley and Newcastle
• The Greens won a number of seats from Labour in Newcastle
• Carla Denyer, Green co-leader, said Labour lost support over Gaza
• 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

Sky’s election coverage plan – how to follow

Friday morning: From 7am Anna Jones will present Breakfast joined by deputy political editor Sam Coates and election analyst Professor Michael Thrasher. She will interview the Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden, Labour’s Pat McFadden and Lee Anderson of Reform UK.

Friday: From 10am lead politics presenter Sophy Ridge and chief presenter Mark Austin will be joined by political editor Beth Rigby and Sam Coates throughout the day, as well as economics and data editor Ed Conway and Professor Michael Thrasher.

Friday night: From 7pm until 9pm, Sophy Ridge will host a special edition of the Politics Hub, offering a full analysis and breakdown of the local elections.

The weekend: Sophy Ridge will host another special edition of the Politics Hub on Saturday from 7pm until 9pm. And Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips will take a look back over what’s happened from 8.30am until 10am.

How do I watch?: Freeview 233, Sky 501, Virgin 603, BT 313, YouTube and the Sky News website and app. You can also watch Sky News live here, and on YouTube.

And the Electoral Dysfunction podcast with Beth Rigby, Jess Phillips and Ruth Davidson will go out on Friday, and Politics at Jack and Sam’s will navigate the big question of where the results leave us ahead of a general election on Sunday.

We’ll also have the latest on the politics page of our website.

‘People crying out for change’ – Labour

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.

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‘A good night 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.

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‘We’re surging, they’re sinking’

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.

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The two big unknowns left up in the air after Starmer’s ‘coalition of the willing’ Ukraine summit

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The two big unknowns left up in the air after Starmer's 'coalition of the willing' Ukraine summit

There was one clear, united message from today’s virtual meeting of leaders – that they rejected Vladimir Putin’s “yes, but” approach to a ceasefire.

The “coalition of the willing” – the 27 leaders, plus NATO and the EU led by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron – want the Russian president to mirror Ukraine’s pledge for a 30-day pause in fighting, in order to hammer out a sustainable peace deal.

Sir Keir made that very clear, and suggested the attendees at the meeting were behind this approach.

Ukraine war latest: Putin’s ceasefire conditions ‘not good enough’

The prime minister said: “Volodymyr [Zelenskyy] has committed to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, but Mr Putin is trying to delay, saying there must be a painstaking study before a ceasefire can take place.

“Well, the world needs action, not a study, not empty words and conditions. So my message is very clear. Sooner or later, Putin will have to come to the table.”

Sir Keir Starmer holding a virtual meeting with European leaders. Pic: Downing Street
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‘Coalition of the willing’. Pic: Downing Street

There are two reasons for this challenge – an immediate end to fighting is a goal in itself, but many of those in today’s call, including Sir Keir, do not trust Mr Putin to uphold promises on peace and are trying to convince US President Donald Trump to be more clear-eyed about the Russian approach.

Challenging the Russian leader to follow the US request for a ceasefire and watching him refuse is designed to send a message to the White House as well as the Kremlin.

There were, however, bigger unknowns left hanging.

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One of which was the clear signal from Sir Keir that he is still relying on a US security guarantee in order to bring on board a “coalition of the willing” who might be able to provide troops to Ukraine.

There are, however, many that don’t think that that US security guarantee is coming in any substantial way, based on the noises coming out of the US.

That is a big problem for the PM, as government sources tell me that the scope and the remit of any potential peacekeeping force is determined by what protection the US might be able to provide.

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The second issue that is being sidestepped by Sir Keir is what any peace keeping might be able to do in practice.

UK troops, like those of any NATO country, cannot engage directly with Russia in combat for fear of triggering a much bigger conflagration.

So if not that, then what is their purpose – a question repeatedly asked by experts like the former national security adviser Lord Ricketts.

I put exactly this to the PM, but did not get an answer. He suggested that we were a long way away from getting an an answer, even though military chiefs also appear to be meeting to “operationalise” plans on Thursday.

How can they operationalise a plan that does not, and currently cannot, have a remit?

Today Sir Keir heralded the participation of Canada, Australia and New Zealand on the call, as part of the effort.

But if the remit of the coalition of the willing isn’t clear, how can it truly be effective?

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Starmer to host virtual meeting of ‘coalition of the willing’ – and demand ‘concrete commitments’ on Ukraine

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Starmer to host virtual meeting of 'coalition of the willing' - and demand 'concrete commitments' on Ukraine

Sir Keir Starmer will host a virtual meeting of world leaders today to discuss peacekeeping in Ukraine, and he will use the call to say that now is the time for “concrete commitments”, Downing Street has said.

Around 25 leaders are expected to join the call this morning, in which they will discuss in more detail the peacekeeping mission the prime minister has called the ‘coalition of the willing’.

Sir Keir will ask allies to continue to ramp up military support to Ukraine.

He will also say countries need to increase economic pressure on Russia in the short term, and be prepared to support an eventual peace deal over the long term, should an agreement be reached.

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Attendees will also receive an update on the discussions of defence ministers and military chiefs in Paris this week, and they will all set out details of their own efforts to unlock further military support for Ukraine.

Downing Street has confirmed that some European countries, the EU Commission, NATO, Canada, Ukraine, Australia and New Zealand are expected to join the virtual meeting.

More on Russia

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Is a ceasefire in Ukraine still viable?

Starmer: The world needs to see action

In a statement ahead of the call, the prime minister said: “We can’t allow President Putin to play games with President Trump’s deal.

“The Kremlin’s complete disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal only serves to demonstrate that Putin is not serious about peace.

“If Russia finally comes to the table, then we must be ready to monitor a ceasefire to ensure it is a serious and enduring peace, if they don’t, then we need to strain every sinew to ramp up economic pressure on Russia to secure an end to this war.”

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Peace ‘must be secure’, PM tells Sky News

He went on to accuse the Russian president of “trying to delay” by “saying there must be a painstaking study before a ceasefire can take place”.

“The world needs to see action, not a study or empty words and pointless conditions,” he continued.

“My message to the Kremlin could not be clearer: stop the barbaric attacks on Ukraine, once and for all, and agree to a ceasefire now. Until then, we will keep working around the clock to deliver peace.”

Sir Keir has said Britain could send peacekeepers to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire deal, but has called on Washington to offer a security ‘backstop’ to those forces.

Russia casts doubt on potential ceasefire

The meeting comes after Ukraine backed the US’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.

But the Russian president has said “lots of questions” remain over that proposal, and that a ceasefire must lead to “long-term peace” which “would remove the initial reasons for the crisis”.

Read more:
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Russia sticks to red lines on 30-day Ukraine ceasefire plan
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Putin lists ceasefire conditions

Moscow has reportedly also presented a “list of demands” to the US to end the war, which would include international recognition of Russia’s claim to Crimea and four Ukrainian provinces and an agreement that foreign troops not be deployed in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Mr Putin’s remarks were “very predictable” and “very manipulative”, adding that the Russian president was preparing to reject the ceasefire proposal he agreed with the US.

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‘We need to get a grip’ on welfare, chancellor says – as controversial cuts widely expected

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'We need to get a grip' on welfare, chancellor says - as controversial cuts widely expected

The chancellor has insisted that “we do need to get a grip” on the welfare budget, saying the “current system is not working for anyone”.

Rachel Reeves said the “bill for welfare is going up by billions of pounds in the next few years”, and argued the system should “get people into work so that more people can fulfil their potential”.

Her comments come ahead of an expected announcement next week of “radical” reforms to the welfare system, with many fearing drastic cuts to support for the most vulnerable.

Politics latest: UK needs to go ‘further and faster’ to grow the economy

Asked by broadcasters on Friday about those fears, the chancellor said: “Well, we’ll set out our plans for welfare reform. But it is absolutely clear that the current system is not working for anyone.

“It is not working for people who need support, it’s not working to get people into work so that more people can fulfil their potential, and it’s not working for the taxpayer when the bill for welfare is going up by billions of pounds in the next few years.

“So we do need to get a grip. We need to spend more on national defence, we need to reform our public services, and we need to reform our broken welfare system.”

More on Benefits

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Welfare system ‘letting people down’

Ms Reeves’s comments come after the work and pensions secretary said the current system has locked “millions” out of work and called it “dysfunctional” as the system places a person in binary categories of either “fit for work” or “not fit for work”.

The government has promised to either reform or replace the Work Capability Assessment – which determines if a person is fit for work or not – as they say it currently drives people who want to work “to a life on benefits”.

Ministers have been priming MPs and the public for cuts to a ballooning welfare bill since the start of the year, with details expected next week ahead of an announcement in the chancellor’s spring statement on 26 March.

 Rachel Reeves during a visit Babcock in Rosyth. Pic: PA
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Rachel Reeves during a visit Babcock in Rosyth. Pic: PA

The expected welfare cuts

Ms Reeves is expected to announce several billion pounds of spending cuts after losing her £9.9bn headroom since the October budget, with the welfare budget a key target for cuts.

Fiscal headroom is the amount by which government can increase spending or cut taxes without breaking its own fiscal rules.

The welfare cuts are expected to include £5bn in savings by making it harder to qualify for Personal Independent Payments (PIP), which help people with the additional costs of their disability.

PIP payments next year are also expected to be frozen and the basic rate for Universal Credit paid to those searching for work, or in work, is expected to be increased while the rate for those judged as unfit for work will be cut.

The department for work and pensions said new figures show 1.8 million people are now considered too sick to look for work due to a “broken work capability assessment” so are on Universal Credit but getting no support to find work.

It said the number has almost quadrupled since the start of the pandemic when 360,000 were considered too sick to look for work.

Read more:
What welfare cuts could be announced?

Labour MPs criticise benefit cuts

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‘Government’s plan to cut welfare is terrifying’

Labour MPs concerned about cuts

A growing number of Labour MPs are publicly raising concerns and, in an unusual move, all 404 Labour MPs were asked to attend “welfare roundtables” in Downing Street with the Number 10 policy unit on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer faced down Labour MPs unhappy over the rumoured welfare cuts – especially for disabled people.

Richard Burgon pleaded with him to make the “moral” choice, telling the Commons disabled people are “frightened” as he urged the PM to introduce a wealth tax instead of “making the poor and vulnerable pay”.

Sir Keir pledged to “protect those who need protecting”, but later added there is no “bottomless pit”.

He said the Tories “left a broken welfare system, which locks millions out of work, that is indefensible in my view, economically and morally”.

Sir Keir Starmer at PMQ's
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Sir Keir Starmer was asked about the welfare cuts at PMQs

Another Labour MP, John Slinger, urged the PM to reassure the Commons he will “provide compassion to those who can’t work”.

Labour MP Nadia Whittome told the BBC the government should impose a wealth tax instead of “placing that burden on disabled people who have already borne the brunt of 14 years of austerity”.

She added that she “can’t look her mum in the eye and support this”.

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