The headline results of the local elections in England are clearly bleak for Labour and rosy for the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats are, in effect treading water, while the Greens and independents have made some gains in terms of numbers of councillors.
But these are the aggregate council results. The top-level masks so many discrepancies. When listening to so much of the media coverage about these local elections, many candidates and councillors must get disheartened. They campaign as vigorously as possible, only for everyone to obsess about what the results mean for Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson.
The focus has been on how the “red wall” in the north of England is continuing to crumble. Labour lost control of Sheffield City Council and of Durham County Council for the first time, while the Conservatives have gained control of Northumberland County Council. But by zoning in on these, we miss that Labour had either no or only small losses in Gateshead Council, Liverpool C
Voters forced to give up waiting at one-in, one-out Peterborough polling station
Voters were faced with massive queues at Peterborough’s lowest-voting ward
Updated
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But many voters were forced to give up and go home last night as people waited for up to an hour outside the mobile unit, reported to have a single booth inside and a one in and one out system.
BBC News
Published
image captionThe Liberal Democrats made gains on Cambridgeshire County Council
The Conservatives have lost control of Cambridgeshire County Council, with no party now holding a majority at the authority.
The Tories, who had been in power since 2017, remain the largest party having won 28 of the 61 available seats.
But the Liberal Democrats made big gains, winning 20 seats.
Peterborough City Council remains under no overall control, but the Conservatives and Labour gained one seat each.
The Tories remain the largest party in the authority with 29 seats, and the next biggest is Labour, which holds 15.
South Cambridgeshire District Council held by-elections for four wards: Girton, Harston and Comberton, Melbourn, and Milton and Waterbeach.
Cambridgeshire CC has fallen to no overall control after the Conservatives - who have held the council since 2017 - failed to win a majority, taking 28 of the 61 seats up for grabs.
The Tories lost seven seats, with the Lib Dems making three gains and winning 20 seats overall while Labour came third with nine seats.
Cllr Henry Batchelor (Lib Dem) told LGC the Tories have been slowly losing seats over the last few years, particularly in South Cambridgeshire.
The Lib Dems took all of the six seats in South Cambridgeshire where Labour did not field candidates.
In 2017, the Conservatives lost control of the South Cambridgeshire DC to the Lib Dems, which Cllr Batchelor put down to the impact of Brexit as the area is very staunchly remain .
5: Observe social distancing; you may be required to queue outside until the numbers inside allow you to enter
Elections are being held tomorrow for 23 seats on Peterborough City Council, and all 61 seats on Cambridgeshire County Council.
Votes will also be cast in the elections for Cambridge City Council, the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
There are also by-elections in other districts, town and parish councils and a number of Neighbourhood Plan Referendums.
All the polling stations have been reviewed to make sure every venue used can accommodate voting in a socially distanced and Covid-safe manner. Alternatives have been found where venues are not suitable to ensure good social distancing and adequate ventilation.