Bristol Council elections: Green surge throughout the city ties seats with Labour

It was clear from early on in the count that the Greens had made significant gains.

The Labour party has lost its majority Bristol City Council following a surge in votes for Green councillors.

Stronghold Labour wards like Henleaze lost multiple councillors to their Green counterparts, while areas where the Greens held their seats saw their majorities increase in places like Lawrence Hill where they doubled their votes and Redland where it tripled.

It comes a day after Green Party candidate Sandy Hore-Ruthven came second to Labour's Marvin Rees in the Bristol Mayoral election - the first Green in the UK to be a runner up in a mayoral race.

The separate election of Marvin Rees does however means Labour is still in charge.

The youngest candidate up for a seat in the Bristol Council elections also helped the Greens gain a seat from Labour, as 18-year-old Lily Fitzgibbon was elected in Bishopston & Ashley Down.

Prospective Bristol Uni student Lily Fitzgibbon has been elected for the Greens and becomes the youngest councillor in Bristol.

Ms Fitzgibbon said she is due to start her academic studies at Bristol University this year but is now thinking about putting it on hold to focus on her duty to the city.

In the same ward Labour's Carole Johnson, Deputy Lord Mayor, lost her seat because of Green gains, while cabinet member Afzal Shah was another victim of the green surge as the party took both Easton seats from Labour.

Bristol City Council's makeup is now: 24 Labour, 24 Green, 14 Conservatives and 8 Liberal Democrats.