Local elections results: Corbyn says Brexit deal between Labour and Tories ‘has to be done’ in wake of poll hammering
Disastrous night for major parties as Liberal Democrats surge
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Your support makes all the difference.Voters have punished both Theresa May’s Conservative party and Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour in the 2019 local government elections over Brexit.
The Tories lost more than 1,200 seats, while the Lib Dems gained more than 600. The Greens gained more than 180 seats, with party co-leader Jonathan Bartley declaring it “the biggest election night in our history”.
Change UK MP Chuka Umunna said the local election results illustrate that “politics is broken in Britain”, while polling expert Sir John Curtice said the hold of the two big parties looks “as weak as it has done at any point in post-war British politics”.
The prime minister was confronted with anger as backbench MPs called for her removal and warned that the party would be “toast” if it did not change direction.
In Wales, a heckler interrupted the PM as she gave a speech in Wales, saying: “Why don’t you resign? We don’t want you.”
The prime minister later thanked Conservative councillors who had lost their seats.
“Because we haven’t delivered the Brexit deal through parliament yet, this was going to be a particularly challenging set of elections for both of the main parties,” she said in a speech to the North East Lincolnshire Conservative Group.
“I also know that last night, I’m sorry to say, a good number of good local councillors across the country lost their seats,” she said, in a speech to the North East Lincolnshire Conservative Group.
“Brandon (Lewis) and I both started our careers in local government and we know what it’s like when you’re fighting local elections against a difficult national background.
“I’d like to thank all those councillors for all their hard work and effort that they’ve put in.”
Labour also suffered losses, surprising the party leadership who had expected to make gains in Thursday’s vote.
Instead the party lost 63 council seats and overall control of six councils, including heartland councils such as Hartlepool, Wirral and Bolsover.
Both parties are now bracing for further losses in European elections, which are scheduled for 23 May.
If you would like to see how the results emerged, please see what was our live coverage below:
Gavin Williamson will receive £17,000 despite his sacking, Rob Merrick reports:
Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, a former director of public prosecutions, has said Gavin Williamson could invite police to investigate his case, although it was unlikely.
He told the BBC's World At One: "What they seem to be saying is this is a breach of the ministerial code as though that precludes the possibility of a criminal offence.
"Most criminal offences committed by ministers would clearly be breaches of the ministerial code, these two things are not mutually exclusive.
"He [Gavin Williamson] has used some very colourful language but it's fairly unusual for people to turn themselves in to the police and invite the police to investigate them and I wouldn't predict at this stage that's something he's likely to do."
MPs should back the government's Brexit deal if they are unhappy with the cost of no-deal preparations, a transport minister has said.
Nusrat Ghani was asked in the Commons about "the farce of the ferry company with no ferries" by SNP MP Philippa Whitford (Central Ayrshire), who said a National Audit Office report suggested the government would spend £56m on ferry contracts that were not needed.
It emerged on Wednesday that the government had paid out more than £50m on cancelling ferry contracts put in place for the event of a no-deal.
Ms Ghani responded: "It was the right thing for the government to do to make sure they have done everything they could have if a no-deal scenario was to take place.
"We had to take out an insurance policy which is why those other contracts were provided. The cost of terminating those contracts will be £42.3m, had we delayed the termination it would have been an extra £10m.
"If anyone in this House is concerned by the cost of no-deal planning then I suggest they vote for the deal."
Nigel Farage's Brexit Party has opened up a nine-point lead ahead of elections to the European Parliament, according to a new poll.
The YouGov survey for the Times put Mr Farage's party on 30 per cent - up two points since last week - to Labour's 21 per cent (down one) and the Conservatives' 13 per cent (unchanged).
The pro-Remain Liberal Democrats are up three points on 10 per cent, while Greens and Change UK each drop a point to 9 per cent.
Ukip was trailing on 4 per cent - down one point on the previous week - in the poll of voting intentions for the 23 May European elections.
In a worrying sign for Prime Minister Theresa May of discontent within her own ranks, more than half (52 per cent) of those who voted Conservative in the 2017 general election said they would back the Brexit Party in the Euro-elections.
Mr Farage's party, launched less than a month ago, was backed by 48 per cent of over-65s taking part in the poll, 60 per cent of those who backed Leave in the 2016 referendum and 31 per cent of those who described themselves as Conservative supporters.
Theresa May remained silent about Gavin Williamson's sacking as she arrived with her husband Philip to cast her vote in the local council elections.
The couple arrived with a security escort at a polling station in Sonning, Berkshire. They greeted some people in a nearby children's playground before Ms May cast her vote.
The prime minister gave no answer when asked by waiting media "are you going to ask the the police to investigate the leak?".
Labour MP David Lammy has joined calls for a criminal investigation into Gavin Williamson's alleged leaking.
"Gavin Williamson was fired by Theresa May because she believes there's compelling evidence he leaked what may have been official secrets," he tweeted.
"Instead of a £17,000 golden goodbye, why is there no criminal investigation?"
Northern Ireland's political leaders have cast their votes in the local government elections.
DUP leader Arlene Foster voted in the Co Fermanagh village of Brookeborough.
She encouraged all to vote and "have their democratic say on the future of our local councils".
"Local councils are hugely important in relation to the governance of Northern Ireland so it is important that people come out and have their say," she said.
"I hope that they come out and give the DUP the strength to deliver, right across Northern Ireland.
"We have had a very good canvass right across NI and people are saying that they want to come out and support us, so I am looking forward to results day."
Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill voted in Clonoe, Co Tyrone.
She described the election as an "opportunity to stand firm against Brexit and an opportunity to stand firm against the arrogance of the DUP".
Footage has emerged from an incident in Warrington yesterday in which "Tommy Robinson", whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had a McDonald's milkshake upended on him while campaigning for the European elections, which will take place later this month.
The far-right campaigner responded by appearing to throw punches at the man before being dragged away.
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