Midlands Local Election results: Conservatives suffer significant losses as counting continues
The first local council elections results in the Midlands have seen significant losses for the Conservatives overnight.
Labour is back in control of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, taking over from a minority Conservative administration.
With a General Election due next year the party will see this as a symbolic victory in a so-called "Red Wall" seat.
The Conservatives have also lost control of Tamworth Council - which it had run for almost 20 years - and North West Leicestershire District Council.
In Worcester, the Greens have pushed the Tories into third place and taken the seat of the local Conservative group leader.
In what could be the last major test of public opinion before a general election, defeats in these traditional Midlands battlegrounds will be cause for concern for Rishi Sunak.
The Conservatives lost North West Leicestershire to no overall control after losing 10 seats on the council, with Labour gaining 10. The new council has 17 Labour councillors, 12 Conservative, five Liberal Democrats and four independents.
There was better news for the Conservatives in Dudley where they retained control of the council, and in Walsall, where they held all of their 13 seats. Labour will be disappointed to have only taken one new seat - from an Independent.
But the Conservative Party is braced for more bad news, with more than 30 councils in region counting votes throughout Friday.
Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats are still hoping for a breakthrough in Stratford, and there are mayoral elections in Leicester and Mansfield.
Here are some of the key moments so far:
Labour GAIN control of Stoke-on-Trent City Council from the Conservatives.
Conservatives LOSE control of Tamworth and North West Leicestershire.
Worcester's Conservative minority administration lost every seat it was defending, including that of the group leader. The Greens push them into third place.
Conservatives hold on to control of Redditch council, but lose a significant share of the vote to Labour. They also hold Dudley and Walsall.
And here's what to expect on Friday:
FRIDAY DAYTIME
12pm - The Greens will hope to increase their presence on Herefordshire council and we should hear who has been elected mayor of Mansfield.
1pm - More possibilities for the Greens in Solihull where the Conservatives are trying hold the line. And the Lib Dems are confident of giving them a scare in Stratford-upon-Avon. In Walsall, it is Labour who the Tories are trying to hold off in what used to be solid red territory.
3pm - Labour will need to see gains in the target council of Erewash
4pm - Labour lost big in North East Derbyshire back in 2019 and they should make win back some of those seats this time.
5pm - The complicated battleground of Derby should be clear by now. Labour lost 13 seats in 2019, but the picture could be skewed by a strong showing by Reform UK. And if Labour is on course for a General Election win next year, we would see them tighten control of Bolsover and regain High Peak.