Local elections results – live: Labour win in West Midlands and London as Sunak facing fresh rebellion
Labour’s Sadiq Khan secures third term as Mayor of London, beating Conservative Susan Hall
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Rishi Sunak is facing fresh Conservative unrest after Labour claimed victory in the West Midlands mayoral election, beating Andy Street in a tight race.
The newly elected mayor, Richard Parker, secured a majority against his Conservative opponent who has served two terms and held office since 2017.
The result is the latest in a string of Labour mayoral and council wins nationwide as the Conservatives suffered historic blows. “I don’t think he’s out of the woods,” a former minister told the Financial Times, referring to Mr Sunak’s position.
Meanwhile, Labour’s Sadiq Khan secured a third term as Mayor of London beating Conservative Susan Hall.
Mr Sunak also suffered terrible losses in council elections as the Conservatives lost more than 400 councillors and control of ten councils.
State of play
Total no of councils - Lab 50 (+8) | Lib Dem: 12 (+ 2)| Con: 6 (-10) | Ind & Others: 1 (+1) | Greens: 0 | NOC: 36 (-1)
Councillors - Lab 1,140 (+185) | Lib Dem: 521 (+104) | Con: 513 (-473) | Ind & Others: 228 (+93) | Green: 181 (+74) | RA 48 (+11) | Workers Party of Britain 4 (+4) | Reform 2 (+2)
A breakdown of South Yorkshire results
Labour South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard had just over 50% of the vote as he retained his job, with Conservative Nick Allen on 16.49%, Douglas Johnson (Green) 13.63%, Hannah Kitching (Lib Dem) 11.38% and David Bettney (Social Democratic Party) 7.64%, with a turnout of 27.27%.
Liverpool and South Yorkshire results
Labour’s Steve Rotheram has won the Liverpool Mayoral election with 183,932 votes.
He beat his nearest rival by more than 156,000 votes.
The Conservative candidate received 27,708 votes.
Labour’s Oliver Coppard has retained his job as South Yorkshire Mayor with 138,611 votes, with Conservative Nick Allen second with 44,945.
Wandsworth and Merton mayor results
Wandsworth and Merton has seen a 5.1% swing to Labour from Tories as mayoral election results flood in.
Sadiq Khan wins Greenwich and Lewisham constituency
Labour’s Sadiq Khan has won in the Greenwich and Lewisham constituency with 83,792 votes.
Conservative’s Susan Hall received 36,822 votes.
161,183 people voted – a 40 per cent turnout.
Sadiq Khan faces anxious wait amid claims Susan Hall ‘has won’ London Mayor contest
Sadiq Khan faces an anxious wait to find out if he will be re-elected as London mayor amid fears about low turnout and anger over his flagship motoring policy and Labour’s stance on Gaza.
A Tory Westminster insider close to Susan Hall’s campaign has told The Independent that the contest is “extremely close” and Mr Khan’s rival “may have won” in what would be a stunning election shock.
The briefing is based on an analysis of the turnouts in the boroughs across London which suggest that strong ones for the Tories have seen voters come out in greater numbers.
Read more here:
Sadiq Khan faces anxious wait amid claims Susan Hall ‘has won’ London Mayor contest
A Westminster Tory campaign insider believes Susan Hall has beaten Sadiq Khan in London because “many Muslim voters stayed at home”
Police are being ‘weaponised’ by politicians in local elections, former top prosecutor warns
A former top prosecutor has hit out after the Conservatives twice reported Labour candidates to police just days before the local elections.
The double whammy came as Rishi Sunak’s party faced predictions it would lose up to 500 councillors across England and struggle in two crunch mayoral votes.
Nazir Afzal, a former Chief Crown Prosecutor, warned police forces were “being weaponised as part of the campaign by those who don’t care about the problems facing policing particularly resourcing”.
Police are being ‘weaponised’ in local elections, former top prosecutor warns
Exclusive: Nazir Afzal called for complaints during elections to be taken away from local forces and for prosecutions of ‘those with frivolous accusations for wasting police time’
Starmer confident Sadiq Khan will take home London mayor victory
Sir Keir Starmer said he remains confident Sadiq Khan can win a third term as the Labour mayor of London.
Speaking to reporters in Mansfield, the Labour leader said: “Sadiq Khan was absolutely the right candidate. He has got two terms of delivery behind him and I am confident that he has got another term of delivery in front of him.
“But look, if you look across the country, I am standing here in Mansfield in the East Midlands where we have won a significant victory in the mayoralty here, but that is the pattern across the country.
“We have been winning in Blackpool in a by-election with a 26% swing, we have won in York and North Yorkshire, true blue Tory territory, and here in the East Midlands where there are very many constituencies that matter hugely in that general election.
“All of this is done with a purpose. I want a Labour Government to serve our country.
“This is effectively the last stop on the journey to the general election and I am really pleased to be able to show we are making progress, we have earned the trust and confidence of voters and we are making progress towards that general election.”
Boris Johnson tried to use Prospect magazine as voter ID at polling station
Boris Johnson has said he tried to use a magazine about politics as voter ID when he turned up to the polls this week.
Mr Johnson had been trying to cast his vote in the local elections in South Oxfordshire on Thursday but fell foul of legislation he introduced himself as prime minister.
Staff initially turned the former Conservative Party leader away because he could not produce proper voter ID.
Boris Johnson tried to use Prospect magazine as voter ID at polling station
Former prime minister was initially turned away from the polls after falling foul of legislation he introduced
Labour will ‘turn the page on decline’- Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer said his party with “turn the page on decline” as he set out his stall for the general election.
The Labour leader said: “It now is upon us to deliver that change to each of those people that put their faith in us in the vote here in the East Midlands and we will do so with a positive case for the country.”
He listed Labour’s plans to “pick up the NHS”, make sure the streets are safe, build affordable homes, and provide secure jobs.
Sir Keir said: “That falls to us, because today is the day that we celebrate the beginning of the turning of the page, one of the last milestones now as we go into that general election.”
He added: “Let’s turn the page on decline and usher in national renewal with Labour.”
In pictures: Starmer with newly elected East Midlands mayor Claire Ward
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