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”.
They 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.
A spokesperson said the win – that saw the authority move from no overall control into Labour’s hands – was “a ground-breaking moment” after the defeat three years ago.
Politics live: Follow the results as they come in
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‘A good night for Labour’
Labour also claimed victory in Thurrock, 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 five areas overwhelmingly voted Leave in the 2016 referendum, with Thurrock supporting it by 72.3%, North East Lincolnshire by 69.9%, Hartlepool by 69.6%, Peterborough by 60.9% and Rushmoor by 58.2%.
More than 2,600 council seats across 107 councils are up for grabs in England, alongside 11 mayoral elections, a parliamentary seat and police and crime commissioners throughout England and Wales – so there is still a way to go.
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.
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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Other results in so far include Labour holding on to Sunderland Council, along with local authorities in South Tyneside, Chorley and Newcastle,
However, the Greens won a number of seats from Labour in Newcastle, with the party’s co-leader Carla Denyer telling Sky News it was over its position on the conflict in Gaza.
The Conservatives held on to Broxbourne Council in Hertfordshire – an authority it has run for its entire 52-year history – and Fareham, though in the latter the Liberal Democrats picked up four seats.
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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.