The two main parties suffered a bigger defeat than predicted in the 2019 council elections with the Conservatives losing 1,334 councillors and Labour losing 82 seats.
The final results shows the Tories suffered their worst local election defeat since 1995, losing control of 44 councils. Labour also lost control of six councils.
The Liberal Democrats proved to be the biggest winners of the elections, gaining 703 councillors and control of 10 councils. The Green Party also increased their number of councillors from 71 to 265.
Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of the LGiU said: ‘Results in these elections have been far more dramatic than anyone expected. For the Conservatives, the loss of more than a thousand seats and 40 councils is little short of catastrophic while Labour will be concerned to be moving backwards and to be losing heartland councils like Middlesborough or Bolsover. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Independents have been resurgent.
‘The meaning of all this will be fiercely debated but it’s clear that Brexit has been a dominant factor as local government is once again overshadowed by dysfunctional national politics.’
