London's new political landscape

By Colin Rallings, Political Analyst

London often tends to count votes more slowly than other areas, but a picture is now emerging from those councils that were busy overnight.And once again the capital looks like another country, politically speaking.

Labour gains of the kind the party was hoping for in the rest of England are being racked up with control being seized in Merton, Croydon and (for the first time ever) Redbridge and, direct from the Conservatives, in Hammersmith and Fulham.

Labour is also making progress where the Lib Dems have been their council opposition (they took 14 seats from Clegg's party in Haringey alone). No wonder that local LibDem MP Lynne Featherstone has spoken out as she ponders her general election campaign with trepidation.

However, London has provided the Conservative half of the coalition with some compensation. They have gained Kingston upon Thames from the LibDems - another area where LD MPs (including Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey) must fight to retain their seats next year.In complete contrast to elsewhere, UKIP has yet to feature in London.

No seats and little more than the 10% share of the vote common enough for other run of the mill 'protest' parties.Nigel Farage will, though, hope for some pickings when the 'Thames estuary' boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Bexley and Havering declare later.