Advertisement

  1. National

Live: Labour and Ukip suffer as Tories make big gains

Votes are being counted for local elections in parts of England and the whole of Scotland and Wales.

A total of 4,851 seats in 88 councils are up for grabs. Six devolved regions have also been selecting mayors for the first time.

  • Early results gave Theresa May a major boost, with the Conservatives picking up more than 550 councillors and gaining control of 11 authorities.
  • Labour forfeited more than 300 council seats but lost control of Glasgow and suffered reverses in Welsh strongholds
  • Conservative Ben Houchen became the first elected mayor of Tees Valley, a Labour north-east heartland, while Conservative Andy Street became the first West Midlands metropolitan mayor, beating Labour's Sion Simon
  • Former Labour cabinet minister Andy Burnham won the mayoral contest in Greater Manchester
  • The Liberal Democrats failed to break through against the Tories in south-west England but have made advances in some General Election target seats like Eastleigh and Wells
  • Ukip shed 63 seats, picking up a solitary councillor in Lancashire
View all 24 updates ›

Conservative Andy Street becomes West Midlands Mayor

Former John Lewis boss Andy Street gave up a business career to stand for mayor. Credit: PA

Conservative Andy Street has been elected the first West Midlands metropolitan mayor beating Labour's Sion Simon in a narrow victory.

The former John Lewis boss gave up his business career last year to stand for the newly-created mayoral post.

He based much of his campaign around pledging to make a success of Brexit for the region.

More on this story