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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Conservatives hail election gains | Conservatives hail election gains |
| (31 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 more than 400 seats and have seized control of councils across England. | |
| Labour have suffered a net loss of more than 180 council seats and the Liberal Democrats have lost nearly 150 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. | BBC research suggests the Tories are on course to win 41% of the local election vote. |
| Although they again failed to win any seats on Manchester City Council, Conservatives gained seats in nearby Trafford and gained control in Chester and South Ribble. | Although they again failed to win any seats on Manchester City Council, Conservatives gained seats in nearby Trafford and gained control in Chester and South Ribble. |
| David Cameron described the Tory results as stunning | David Cameron described the Tory results as stunning |
| Tory leader David Cameron said his party had secured a great set of results. | Tory leader David Cameron said his party had secured a great set of results. |
| "We took control of South Ribble with stunning results on one side of the Pennines. | "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," he said. | "We took control of the East Riding of Yorkshire on the other side with also stunning results," he said. |
| 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." |
| Despite losing seats overall, the Lib Dems hailed wins in Hull, Rochdale, Eastbourne and Hinckley and Bosworth. | Despite losing seats overall, the Lib Dems hailed wins in Hull, Rochdale, Eastbourne and Hinckley and Bosworth. |
| 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. |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| Won no votes | Won no votes |
| It did not all go the Tories' way - the Conservative candidate who stood in Tony Blair's home ward in County Durham failed to poll a single vote. | It did not all go the Tories' way - the Conservative candidate who stood in Tony Blair's home ward in County Durham failed to poll a single vote. |
| Shirley Bowes was not able to vote for herself as she does not live in the ward. | Shirley Bowes was not able to vote for herself as she does not live in the ward. |
| In a Lincolnshire council seat, Conservative Christopher Underwood-Frost held on - by winning on the toss of a coin. | In a Lincolnshire council seat, Conservative Christopher Underwood-Frost held on - by winning on the toss of a coin. |
| He had tied with his Lib Dem rival on 781 votes, forcing the spin of a coin to decide the winner. | He had tied with his Lib Dem rival on 781 votes, forcing the spin of a coin to decide the winner. |
| Electronic counting | Electronic counting |
| Across England 32.8m people were able to vote and about 10,500 councillors will be elected. | Across England 32.8m people were able 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 double check at least 20%, but preferably 100%, of signatures accompanying ballot papers with those on the original applications for a postal vote. | Election officers must double check at least 20%, but preferably 100%, of signatures accompanying ballot papers with those on the original applications for a postal vote. |
| It means a clear picture of the results will be unlikely to be available before Friday afternoon. | It means a clear picture of the results will be unlikely to be available before Friday afternoon. |