As Andy has said, the big winner in the local election has been Labour at the expense of both the Conservatives and Lib Dems. The key Labour gains have been Enfield from the Conservatives and Liverpool from the Lib Dems. But it’s the Conservatives who’ll be most disappointed (although local government remains resolutely blue). There’s been a general increase in support for Labour and the Liberal Democrats – reflected in the five councils slipping from Conservative to NOC. The Lib Dems have even made some gains at the expense of the Tories. In Milton Keynes, for one, the Lib Dems have gained 3 seats from the Conservatives (although the council has remained in NOC). The day’s biggest losers have been the BNP with reports that Labour has taken every single seat in Barking and Dagenham. Overall, however, it must be said that people aren’t exactly voting for change. As Jonathan has pointed out, only 14 of 90 declared councils have changed hands.
