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| Version 14 | Version 15 |
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| Conservatives hail election gains | Conservatives hail election gains |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Conservatives say they have made stunning gains in the English local elections which will pave the way to victory at the next general election. | The Conservatives say they have made stunning gains in the English local elections which will pave the way to victory at the next general election. |
| With many results still to come in, the Conservatives have made a net gain of 602 seats and have seized control of councils across England. | |
| Labour has suffered a net loss of more than 321 council seats and the Liberal Democrats have lost about 202 seats. | |
| Tony Blair said Labour recovered from worse results to win the last election. | Tony Blair said Labour recovered from worse results to win the last election. |
| BBC research suggests the Tories are on course to win 41% of the local election vote, with what the party says are significant advances in the North. | BBC research suggests the Tories are on course to win 41% of the local election vote, with what the party says are significant advances in the North. |
| 'Dreadful results' | 'Dreadful results' |
| Although they again failed to win any seats on Manchester City Council, Tories gained control in Chester, Blackpool and South Ribble. | Although they again failed to win any seats on Manchester City Council, Tories gained control in Chester, Blackpool and South Ribble. |
| In Blackpool, the Labour leader, deputy leader and mayor all lost their seats to Conservatives. | In Blackpool, the Labour leader, deputy leader and mayor all lost their seats to Conservatives. |
| David Cameron lauded the Conservative win in Chester See the results for England | David Cameron lauded the Conservative win in Chester See the results for England |
| Tory leader David Cameron said: "We took control of South Ribble with stunning results on one side of the Pennines. | Tory leader David Cameron said: "We took control of South Ribble with stunning results on one side of the Pennines. |
| "We took control of the East Riding of Yorkshire on the other side with also stunning results." | "We took control of the East Riding of Yorkshire on the other side with also stunning results." |
| Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "For the Liberal Democrats I think it's been a dreadful set of results and the Tories have not broken through, particularly in the northern cities, in the way they wanted to. | Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "For the Liberal Democrats I think it's been a dreadful set of results and the Tories have not broken through, particularly in the northern cities, in the way they wanted to. |
| "I think people will understand that if we could come from worse results in 2004 to win a general election, we can do that now." | "I think people will understand that if we could come from worse results in 2004 to win a general election, we can do that now." |
| The Lib Dems have suffered heavy losses, losing councils such as South Norfolk and Uttlesford on big swings to the Tories. | The Lib Dems have suffered heavy losses, losing councils such as South Norfolk and Uttlesford on big swings to the Tories. |
| 'Mixed bag' | 'Mixed bag' |
| But they recorded gains in Hull, Rochdale, Eastbourne and Hinckley and Bosworth. And Labour lost overall control of Sheffield after Lib Dem gains. | But they recorded gains in Hull, Rochdale, Eastbourne and Hinckley and Bosworth. And Labour lost overall control of Sheffield after Lib Dem gains. |
| Tony Blair said Labour could recover from the results | Tony Blair said Labour could recover from the results |
| Party leader Sir Menzies Campbell admitted the elections had delivered a "mixed bag", but said there had been some results to be cheerful about. | Party leader Sir Menzies Campbell admitted the elections had delivered a "mixed bag", but said there had been some results to be cheerful about. |
| In the Midlands, the Tories took control of Oswestry Borough Council for the first time in the council's history. | In the Midlands, the Tories took control of Oswestry Borough Council for the first time in the council's history. |
| They also became the largest party in Birmingham for the first time in 24 years. | They also became the largest party in Birmingham for the first time in 24 years. |
| But their biggest gains were further south. They won Plymouth and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, where the Lib Dem leader lost her seat. | But their biggest gains were further south. They won Plymouth and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, where the Lib Dem leader lost her seat. |
| Toss of coin | Toss of coin |
| It did not all go the Tories' way - their candidate in Tony Blair's home ward in County Durham failed to poll a single vote. | It did not all go the Tories' way - their candidate in Tony Blair's home ward in County Durham failed to poll a single vote. |
| In Lincolnshire, Conservative Christopher Underwood-Frost only held on by winning on the toss of a coin after he tied with his Lib Dem rival on 781 votes. | In Lincolnshire, Conservative Christopher Underwood-Frost only held on by winning on the toss of a coin after he tied with his Lib Dem rival on 781 votes. |
| Elsewhere in the county, Boston Bypass independents, campaigning for a bypass for the town, won control of the borough council. | Elsewhere in the county, Boston Bypass independents, campaigning for a bypass for the town, won control of the borough council. |
| Electronic counting | Electronic counting |
| Across England 32.8m people were eligible to vote and about 10,500 councillors will be elected. | Across England 32.8m people were eligible to vote and about 10,500 councillors will be elected. |
| Five English councils trialling new ways of electronic voting have been forced to hold recounts after a series of glitches. | Five English councils trialling new ways of electronic voting have been forced to hold recounts after a series of glitches. |
| The votes will be counted by hand, delaying the declarations in Warwick and Stratford district councils, Warwick Town Council, South Buckinghamshire and Breckland. | The votes will be counted by hand, delaying the declarations in Warwick and Stratford district councils, Warwick Town Council, South Buckinghamshire and Breckland. |
| Almost half of the counts started straight after polls closed, but other authorities delayed their counts until later on Friday because of a new postal voting system. | Almost half of the counts started straight after polls closed, but other authorities delayed their counts until later on Friday because of a new postal voting system. |
| Election officers must compare signatures accompanying ballot papers with those on the original applications for a postal vote. | Election officers must compare signatures accompanying ballot papers with those on the original applications for a postal vote. |