This has been an historic victory for the Liberal Democrats with our best result in decades.

It’s little wonder Rishi Sunak is running scared of a General Election, because he knows the Liberal Democrats are set to take swathes of seats across the Conservative  Party’s former heartlands.

The message from these elections is clear: people are fed up with being let down and taken for granted by this Conservative Government – it is time for a change. 

 

Gaining control of councils

Liberal Democrats gained majority control of twelve councils. This is the highest number of councils gained by the Lib Dems since 1995, which came ahead of the party’s sweeping gains against the Conservatives at the 1997 election.

Councils gained: Chichester, Dacorum, Guildford, Horsham, Mid Devon, South Hams, South Oxfordshire, Stratford on Avon, Surrey Heath, Teignbridge, West Berkshire & Windsor and Maidenhead

We also held control of all seventeen councils we were defending.

Councils held: Bath & North East Somerset, Chelmsford, Cotswold, Eastbourne, Eastleigh, Hinckley & Bosworth, Kingston upon Hull, Mole Valley, North Devon, North Norfolk, Oadby & Wigston, St Albans, Three Rivers, Vale of White Horse, Watford, Winchester & Woking.

Gaining seats

In councils up and down England, Liberal Democrats made gains.

We gained 407 councillors net, with net gains in more than 100 councils.

The biggest number of gains were in Mid Devon (+21), Horsham (+15), Chichester (+14), East Riding of Yorkshire (+14), Stratford on Avon (+14), Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (+13), West Berkshire (+13), Windsor and Maidenhead (+13), Sevenoaks (+11), Surrey Heath (+11).

In total, we elected 1,628 councillors in these elections.

20% of the vote

The BBC’s projected national vote share put the Liberal Democrats on 20%.

This is the best result since 2010 and just 6% behind the Conservatives.

• Among our gained councils is Surrey Heath, where we have taken control from the Conservatives in Michael Gove’s back garden. Senior Conservative cabinet ministers will now be looking nervously over their shoulders.
   
• Another key target where we have done well is Elmbridge, which contains Dominic Raab’s Esher and Walton seat. We have gained 6 councillors here, taking 4 from the Conservatives, and are now the largest party.
   
• It’s clear that sleaze and scandal surrounding Conservative Ministers over recent months has had a profound impact. Nadhim Zahawi is experiencing a Shakespearean Tragedy in Stratford on Avon as his seat is now controlled by the Lib Dems after we gained 15 seats and took control.
   
• Just a few weeks ago we launched our Local Election campaign in Dacorum in Hertfordshire, where Ed Davey foreshadowed today’s results by toppling a Blue Wall of hay bales in a tractor. Today we took control of the council here – the first time Liberal Democrats have run the council since its creation.
   
• Following our stunning victory in Tiverton & Honiton last year, we’ve had a great result in Devon in these elections. We gained Mid Devon and Teignbridge, held North Devon, and made a total of 52 gains across the county.
   
• After we made gains in Hull overnight to keep control of the council, we’ve also won seats from Labour in Liverpool – gaining 6 seats from Labour as they lost 9.
   
• Despite this sea of excellent gains, we were sorry that Mayor Dave Hodgson did not win re-election in Bedford, missing out by just 145 votes. 

The Conservatives have crumbled. The Blue Wall is turning gold.

Now it is clear that the country needs a General Election so the Conservatives can be removed from power in Government.

Today’s results have shown the country that Liberal Democrats can do just that.

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5 May 2023

• Greens make a record 200 gains – the highest ever growth in the party’s 50 year history
• Party gains majority control of a local authority for the first time – win in Mid Suffolk lays foundation for new MPs at General Election
• Made a total of 155 net gains from the Conservatives – cementing its position as the true opposition to the government in many places across the country
• Greens became largest party in Lewes, where the Conservatives were wiped out
• Breakthroughs in North East Derbyshire, Sevenoaks, New Forest, Southend-on-Sea, Havant, Erewash, Worthing, Staffordshire Moorlands and South Kesteven where Green candidate has ousted Conservative Council Leader and Greens have taken three other seats off the Conservatives

The Greens are celebrating a monumental local election result after the party made the most gains in its 50 year history and took control of a local authority for the first time in the UK – and Europe.

The Green Party went into this year’s local elections looking to defend more seats than ever before – following its record surge in 2019. However, not only did the Greens hold 223 of their incumbent councillors, but the Greens have gained 200 new councillors, taking the total number of Green councillors in England and Wales to a record 737, on a record 166 councils.

The Green Party has taken majority control of Mid Suffolk council – the first time that Greens have held a majority on a council anywhere in Europe. Greens are now also the largest group on several councils in No Overall Control, where they will be engaging in negotiations with other parties over coming days to form an administration. 

The Greens gained at the hands of some significant conservative losses – taking a net 155 seats from the Tories. Lewes District Council, where the Greens are already in administration, saw the Greens become the largest party. The Conservatives were completely wiped out in Lewes, going from the largest group to having no councillors at all. 

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“This has been an historic night for the Greens and one which paves the way for success in the general election next year. I want to congratulate the hundreds of councillors and the countless volunteers who have worked tirelessly to achieve this incredible set of results.

“With our wins in places such as Mid Suffolk, Lewes and East Hertfordshire, it is clear that the Conservatives are crumbling and in many areas it is now the Greens who are the only real opposition. The sooner we have a general election the better. 

“Voters are fed up of this Conservative government and are turning to the Greens because we offer a real alternative, with hard-working local councillors and sound practical policies to tackle local and national issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, housing, underfunded and run down public services and the state of our rivers.”

ENDS

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the press office on press@greenparty.org.uk or call 0203 691 9401

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5 May 2023

• 159 Green net gains so far – 127 from Conservatives
• Greens now largest party in East Hertfordshire after taking 17 seats from the Conservatives and holding two
• Largest vote share in Worcester, gaining four seats and defying predictions Labour would take overall control of the Council
• Breakthroughs in North East Derbyshire, Ribble Valley, Central Bedfordshire, Sevenoaks, New Forest, Southend-on-Sea, Havant, Erewash, Worthing, Staffordshire Moorland and South Kesteven where Green candidate has ousted Conservative Council Leader and Greens have taken three other seats off the Conservatives
• Cementing position as opposition in Labour strongholds of South Tyneside and Exeter

Commenting on the latest Green wins making the party the largest in East Hertfordshire , Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“We are exceeding expectations with an amazing series of wins across East Hertfordshire to make us the largest party there.

“We have gained 17 seats from the Conservatives and held on to our two seats, making us the largest party. When we started the day we had just two councillors. Indeed, In 2015, East Herts was 100% Tory. All 50 seats. Now it is in no overall control, thanks to Greens.

“People are turning to the Greens because we offer a real alternative, with hard-working local councillors and sound practical policies to tackle local and national issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, housing, underfunded and run down public services and the state of our rivers.

“The Conservative vote has crumbled. Green votes have soared and people are inspired to turn out and vote Green.

“We still have important seats to declare nationally later in the day and we remain optimistic of significant gains to come. These results are setting the scene for General Election breakthroughs where we will be able to add new MPs in places like Bristol, Waveney Valley in Suffolk, and Herefordshire.

“Overnight, we’ve had local election breakthroughs in Southend-on-Sea, Havant and South Kesteven and many more as the day has unfolded.

“We have cemented our position as the official opposition on South Tyneside and Exeter Councils. While in Worcester we achieved the largest vote share of 29%, gaining three seats from Labour and one from the Conservatives, defying some pundits’ predictions who had expected Labour to take overall control of the Council.”

ENDS

Notes

1

Total make up of East Herts council:

50 councillors are elected every four years to serve on the Council.
Going into this year’s election, there were 40 Conservatives, six Liberal Democrats, two Greens and two Labour councillors.
Following the election, there are 19 Greens, 16 Conservatives, 10 Liberal Democrats, five Labour.

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the Press Office 0203 691 9401

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5 May 2023

• Greens win majority control of a local authority in the UK for the first time
• Mid Suffolk win lays foundation for new MPs at General Election
• Could become largest party in East Hertfordshire with 15 gains and two holds so far
• Largest party in Forest of Dean with 15 seats so far
• Largest vote share in Worcester, gaining four seats and defying predictions Labour would take overall control of the Council
• 126 net gains nationally – 96 gains from Conservatives
• Breakthroughs in North East Derbyshire, Sevenoaks, New Forest, Southend-on-Sea, Havant, Erewash, Worthing, Staffordshire Moorland and South Kesteven where Green candidate has ousted Conservative Council Leader and Greens have taken three other seats off the Conservatives
• Cementing position as opposition in Labour strongholds of South Tyneside and Exeter

Speaking from the victorious count for Mid Suffolk council, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“Let the significance of this result sink in – this is not only the first time ever that a Green Party has taken majority control of a local authority in the UK, but the first time anywhere in Europe.”

Ramsay, who is parliamentary candidate for the new Waveney Valley constituency on the Suffolk/Norfolk border, said:

“This paves the way for success in the general election next year in Waveney Valley. Greens have taken majority control of the main council in the area, as well as winning all four seats in the two East Suffolk wards in the constituency (Bungay and Halesworth).

“Just a few months ago, a by-election saw us become the largest party on Bristol City Council.

“If these results are replicated in a General Election, we will be well on the way to my co-leader Carla Denyer being elected in Bristol and myself elected in Waveney Valley.”

Councillor Andy Mellen, leader of the Green councillors on Mid Suffolk District council, said:

“This result shows there is a real appetite for a party of sensible, practical people who are committed to making positive change in their community. That’s why so many people voted for us. 

“We thank everyone who voted for us and put their trust in us to get things done.

“We are excited about the challenges ahead and feel there is a great deal we can achieve now that we control the Council, especially in areas such as housing, planning and making the Council more accessible.

“This isn’t a protest vote. Greens have steadily been building a presence here over many years. They have a track record of getting things done and that’s what people voted for.

“With such high support in Suffolk, we now have a great opportunity to get Adrian Ramsay elected as a Green MP at the next General Election to support the fantastic work Caroline Lucas is doing at Westminster.”

The Mid Suffolk result comes after a day of strong results. Ramsay said:

“In East Hertfordshire we have seen monumental gains, taking a previously safe Conservative council into no-overall control – and we could yet become the largest party there.

“It is clear that the Conservatives are crumbling and the sooner we have a general election the better. 

“Voters are fed up of this Conservative government and are turning to the Greens because we offer a real alternative, with hard-working local councillors and sound practical policies to tackle local and national issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, housing, underfunded and run down public services and the state of our rivers.”

ENDS

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the press office on press@greenparty.org.uk or call 0203 691 9401

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5 May 2023

Early overnight local election 2023 results show:

• 20 Green gains overnight
• Early projections point to well over 100 seat gains
• Largest vote share in Worcester, gaining four seats and defying predictions Labour would take overall control of the Council
• Breakthroughs in Southend-on-Sea, Havant and South Kesteven where Green candidate has ousted Conservative Council Leader and Greens have taken three other seats off the Conservatives
• Cementing position as opposition in Labour strongholds of South Tyneside and Exeter

Commenting on the state of play in the early hours of Friday, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said:  

“Early results indicate that the Conservative vote has plummeted, and Labour has not made the gains it had hoped for in many areas. This reflects what we have heard on the doorstep. Greens are gaining from a deep dislike of the Tories and Starmer’s uninspiring Labour. But it is also clear that voters have responded positively to our practical solutions to meet concerns on issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, housing, underfunded and run-down public services and the state of our rivers. 

“Most of our key target seats will be declaring later in the day and we remain optimistic of significant gains to come. But so far, we are making gains from both the Conservatives and Labour and breaking onto new councils including Southend-on-Sea, Havant and South Kesteven. 

“In a sign of what’s to come later in the day, we have cemented our position as the official opposition on South Tyneside and Exeter Councils. While in Worcester we achieved the largest vote share of 29%, gaining three seats from Labour and one from the Conservatives, defying some pundits’ predictions who had expected Labour to take overall control of the Council.”

ENDS

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the Press Office 0203 691 9401

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