General Election 2019: Conservatives lose control of key councils

Tories lose control of 13 local authorities

Counting is complete in all 230 councils

The Conservatives have lost control of 13 local authorities in the English local elections, as well as losing more than 1,300 councillors. The party now has control of 358 councils, down from 371, while Labour has gained control of eight authorities and now runs 140 councils. The Liberal Democrats have gained control of four councils, bringing their total to 20, and the Green Party has gained control of one council, bringing its total to three.

The losses for the Conservatives are the worst since the party lost control of more than 300 councils in the 1995 local elections. The party had been hoping to use the elections to build momentum ahead of the next general election, but the results will be seen as a major setback.

The Labour Party has made gains in both urban and rural areas, and the party's leader, Keir Starmer, said the results showed that the public is "fed up with the Conservatives". The Liberal Democrats have also made gains, particularly in southern England, and the party's leader, Ed Davey, said the results showed that the public wants "a change from the Conservatives".

The Green Party has made its gains in areas where the party has traditionally been strong, such as Brighton and Hove and Bristol. The party's leader, Caroline Lucas, said the results showed that the public is "increasingly concerned about the climate crisis".