Boris Johnson's Tories face losing control of a flagship London authority to Labour in the local elections - but there has so far been a mixed picture for Sir Keir Starmer's party outside the capital.

       Wandsworth, which was a Conservative authority for more than 40 years, has fallen to Labour, with the Tories fearing other boroughs will also be lost. But outside London, the Liberal Democrats won Hull from Labour, while the Greens also picked up seats in contests around England.

       Labour took control of the new Cumberland authority, where a senior Tory called for Mr Johnson to go.

       John Mallinson, leader of Carlisle City Council, told the BBC: "I think it is not just partygate, there is the integrity issue. Basically I just don't feel people any longer have the confidence that the Prime Minister can be relied upon to tell the truth."

       Ravi Govindia, the outgoing Tory leader of Wandsworth council, told the BBC: "Consistently on the doorstep the issue of Boris Johnson was raised."

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       The Conservatives are increasingly pessimistic about the situation in Westminster, a council they have run since its creation in 1964.

       "We will lose it," a senior Tory source has told the Press Association.

       With results in from 53 councils, the Conservatives have so far lost 55 seats.

       It might have been on the cards, but this is still a big result.

       Labour have won Wandsworth council from the Tories, winning a council they have not run since 1974.

       Labour have so far won 32 seats, with the Tories trailing on 22, while one seat has been called for an independent.

       The Conservative MP for Southampton Itchen has conceded that his party will lose control of Southampton council to Labour.

       "We can't now numerically save it", Royston Smith told the BBC.

       Mr Smith called on the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to tackle the cost of living crisis.

       Labour is confident of winning Wandsworth from the Tories.

       A Labour source told the Press Association: "Boris Johnson losing Wandsworth is monumental. This was the Tories' jewel in the crown.

       "Voters in Wandsworth have put their trust in the change Keir Starmer's Labour represents."

       Early indications are that Labour will take the council, one the Tories have held for 44 years.

       A Conservative council leader has said the Prime Minister should be moved on after his party suffered a mass defeat in a local election.

       Conservative leader of Carlisle City Council John Mallinson told the BBC that he had "lost some very good colleagues" in the Cumberland local election, and had found it "difficult to drag the debate back to local issues" while campaigning because of partygate and the cost-of-living crisis.

       Mr Mallinson said: "I don't think it was helping to get comments from people like George Eustice talking about people using value brands to ease their shopping bills. That just seems to have come over very patronising."

       He added: "I think it is not just partygate, there is the integrity issue. Basically I just don't feel people any longer have the confidence that the Prime Minister can be relied upon to tell the truth."

       Asked if he thought Conservative MPs should oust the Prime Minister, Mr Mallinson said: "That would be my preference, yes."

       Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Kramer said she was "obviously delighted" her party had taken control of Hull council.

       Lady Kramer told Sky News the party had had "high hopes in Hull".

       She said: "It is a community that in a sense has been taken for granted frankly by both Labour and Conservatives."

       The Lib Dem peer said that "big significant local issues" like the number of GPs locally came up on the doorstep, as well as the cost of living and partygate.

       "It is not just partygate, it is everything it stands for, this sort of whole sense of a Government in moral collapse," Lady Kramer said.

       Counters in wards across the UK are the backbone of our democracy and nothing captures the glamour of British politics quite like photographs of counting centres on election night.

       This is Lindley Hall in Westminster. Give these poor things a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive.

       The Liberal Democrats will take control of Kingston upon Hull city council, after winning 29 seats out of the 57 available, with three more results to come. The Conservatives lost their single seat on the council.

       The Lib Dems have so won 28 seats, a gain of 10 on the last vote. Early indications are that Ed Davey's party could be the biggest beneficiaries of the Tory backlash.

       Results are now in for 15 councils with no party yet securing a big win.

       There have so far been no changes in control. The Tories have lost 14 seats, with 91, and Labour are down four, at 82. The Liberal Democrats have gained 10, the Greens three, independents one and ratepayers and residents four.

       You can search for results in your area using our handy postcode tool:

       The Tories have held overall control of Basildon council and took the seat of the leader of the authority's Labour group despite the partygate scandal "dominating some of the conversations" on the campaign trail.

       Conservative councillors now occupy 25 of the 42 seats, the same number as they did following the May 2021 elections.

       Jack Ferguson, the leader of Basildon Council's Labour group, lost his Pitsea North West ward seat to Conservative candidate Sam Gascoyne by 20 votes.

       Labour has claimed a pair of wards in Wandsworth, raising the party's hopes that they can take control of the Tory council.

       Speaking to Sky News as the result for Wandsworth's Wandle ward was announced, shadow health minister Rosena Allin-Khan said: "That echoes exactly what we were hearing on the doorsteps today and throughout the whole campaign, that people are absolutely fed up of 44 years of Tory governance in Wandsworth, and they are fed up Boris Johnson's lies and deceit and it is time for change."

       The Conservatives remain the largest party in Hartlepool after no party earned a majority on the council.

       The Tories won the council last year, finishing ahead of independents and Labour.

       Sir Keir Starmer's party, which ran the council from 2010 until it surprisingly lost its majority in 2019, appears to have failed to cut through with voters.

       The leader of the Labour group on Barnet council said the party was confident of taking the council from the Tories.

       Barry Rawlings told the BBC: "I've been feeling confident for a while, I think we've had a very good campaign, got good candidates, it feels good on the streets."

       The north London borough has a large Jewish community and he said the "stain" of anti-Semitism had been removed from the party under Sir Keir Starmer.

       "We've certainly turned a corner on anti-Semitism since Keir's been the leader," he said.

       In one of the first results of the evening, the Tories have failed in their bid to pinch Sunderland council from Labour.

       Speaking after Labour retained control of the council, Hampstead and Kilburn MP Tulip Siddiq told Sky News: "I am delighted to see the Sunderland result, mostly because speaking to MPs who are connected to Sunderland from the Labour Party ... and local activists, the Conservatives have thrown the kitchen sink at it.

       "I mean, the Prime Minister was there. When you are in Government you only send the Prime Minister to seats that you think you can overturn and change. So the Prime Minister was there on Bank Holiday Monday and we still held it."

       Boris Johnson and the Chancellor Rishi Sunak both visited Sunderland on the campaign trail.

       Our brilliant results page is now live here - you can follow every result as it comes in and search for local results with your postcode.

       Policing minister Kit Malthouse has said the Tories face a difficult night but insisted the picture was better for his party outside the capital.

       He told the BBC: "The further away you get from London, our sense is that the picture is better for us."

       Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Ashworth told the BBC "it looks like we are making progress" and "the Tories are in big trouble".

       But he acknowledged there was a mountain to climb for the party following the 2019 general election.

       "It's climbable, but my god it's a big mountain because we got an absolute hammering in 2019, the worst result since the 1930s."

       Votes are being counted in the 2022 local elections amid grim forecasts for the Conservative Party.

       Boris Johnson's party is bracing for the worst following the partygate scandal and the escalating cost of-living crisis.

       Sir Keir Starmer's Labour are predicted to fare rather better, though mediocre results could intensify pressure on Sir Keir if he keeps struggling to convince the electorate that his party are ready to govern.

       The biggest story of the night could well be in Northern Ireland, where Sinn Fein are seeking to become the largest party.

       All 32 councils in Scotland and all 22 in Wales are also holding elections with results expected later on Friday.

       You can follow our live blog for every vote, every seat, and every wobbly photo of a rosy-cheeked retired accountant thumbing slips of paper in a leaky sports hall.

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