Lib Dems take two councils after successful Conservative votes

The Liberal Democrats have taken management of Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Shropshire County Councils, after taking dozens of seats from the Conservatives throughout England, and pushing them into third place.

The Lib Dems have received greater than 160 new seats, nearly totally from the Conservatives, with 370 councillors elected on Thursday.

They’re additionally the most important celebration on Devon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire County Councils and will run the native authorities both by way of a coalition or minority management.

Lib Dem Chief Sir Ed Davey mentioned the native elections had led to a “incredible set of outcomes” for his celebration.

Sir Ed mentioned: “For the primary time ever now we have overtaken the Conservatives in native elections and that is put us on monitor to overhaul the Conservatives on the subsequent common election.

“The Conservatives are actually historical past, however we have to do much more. The Labour Celebration has failed in authorities and it has been proven to fail at these elections too.”

The Lib Dems are the one celebration apart from Reform UK to take management of a council on this yr’s native elections, which noticed help for Labour and the Conservatives collapse.

However the Lib Dems missed out on successful any of the mayoral races up for grabs, coming in second to Reform in Hull and East Yorkshire, regardless of working Hull Metropolis Council for the final three years.

Whereas the votes have been nonetheless being counted, Sir Ed advised broadcasters the outcomes have been “exceeding my expectations”.

He claimed the Lib Dems have taken the title of “celebration of Center England” from the Conservatives – their acknowledged goal in the beginning of the native election – after voters had “chosen our neighborhood politics over the Conservative Celebration’s neglect and disdain”.