Liberal Democrats finally ‘recovering from disaster’ of election defeats with big local council gains

Ed Davey hails ‘an almighty shockwave’ – but is warned his party’s progress is ‘relatively modest’

The Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey (Getty Images)

The Liberal Democrats are finally putting “the disaster” of recent election thrashings behind them with significant local council gains, a polling expert has suggested.

Ed Davey’s party is celebrating winning more than 150 extra seats in Thursday’s elections, most notably seizing the new Somerset unitary authority in a crucial Tory-dominated area.

The Lib Dems also took seats from the Conservatives in Stockport, in Wimbledon, in south west London, in Berkshire, and in David Cameron’s former backyard of West Oxfordshire.