Parties to face voters’ verdict as polls close across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Polling stations have closed across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in a set of elections that will have widespread ramifications throughout the UK.

The Conservatives went into today’s council elections in England, Scotland and Wales fearful of a hammering in the wake of the Partygate scandal.

Tories are also worried about a voter backlash as Britons suffer a financial squeeze due to the cost-of-living crisis.

More than 4,000 council seats are up for grabs in England, including in all 32 London boroughs, where votes began to be counted tonight.

A disastrous result for Boris Johnson’s Tories could spark fresh efforts among Conservative MPs – many of whom are still seething at Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street – to oust the Prime Minister from Number 10.

A number of Tory council candidates, in a bid to distance themselves from Mr Johnson’s Partygate woes, went into the election styled as ‘Local Conservatives’ .

And some even urged voters not to ‘punish’ them for ‘mistakes made in Westminster’.

Some experts have suggested the Conservatives face losing 800 councillors and will take a clobbering from Labour and the Liberal Democrats in the Tories’ so-called ‘Blue Wall’ zones.

Pre-election forecasts pointed to the Tories even losing control of flagship councils such as Wandsworth and Westminster in London, as well as Southampton and Thurrock.

But it has also been suggested that Conservative losses may not be as bad as the party fears, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer may struggle to deliver a resounding success.

This is because Labour performed very strongly in England council elections in 2018 – the last time most of the seats being fought for today were last contested.

If Sir Keir does fail to achieve a convincing result – especially in the ‘Red Wall’ areas that turned Tory at the last general election – many in Labour will again question whether he really is the right man to lead the party’s fightback.

The Labour leader, who has repeatedly demanded the PM’s resignation over Partygate, went into today’s elections dogged by questions over his own ‘Beergate’ row.

The first results in England are expected from midnight and in London from 3am, but counting in Wales and Scotland will not begin until 9am.

The results in Wales, where all 22 councils have held elections, will also be pored over by the Tories and Labour for signs of whether they are going forwards of backwards.

They will be a crucial test for Labour First Minister Mark Drakeford, who saw his status soar during the Covid crisis – but who was also fiercely criticised for imposing tougher Coronavirus restrictions for longer than in England. 

Meanwhile, in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will be looking for a strong result for the SNP as she cranks up her demands for a second independence referendum by the end of next year.

All seats in all councils in Scotland are up for election, with more than 1,200 councillors due to be chosen.

Ms Sturgeon has frequently used SNP election successes to back up her ‘mandate’ for another independence poll.

In Northern Ireland – where voters are electing Assembly members – counting will also begin tomorrow morning, but the state of the parties may not be clear until Saturday.

There is an expectation that Sinn Fein could be on the brink of a historic election victory in Northern Ireland and become the largest party for the first time.

Such a result – from an election dominated by questions about Brexit issues and suggestions of an Irish reunification poll – would raise fresh concerns for the future of power-sharing government in Northern Ireland.

More than 4,000 council seats are up for grabs in England, including in all 32 London boroughs

Pre-election forecasts pointed to the Tories losing control of flagship councils such as Wandsworth, where votes began to be counted tonight

A disastrous result for Boris Johnson’s party could spark fresh efforts among Tory MPs – many of whom are still seething at Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street – to oust the Prime Minister from Number 10

If Sir Keir Starmer fails to achieve a convincing result – especially in the ‘Red Wall’ areas that turned Tory at the last general election – many in Labour will again question whether he really is the right man to lead the party’s fightback

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A total of 200 local authorities are holding elections on May 5 – including every seat in Scotland, Wales and London

Speaking after the polls closed tonight, Labour chair Anneliese Dodds was downbeat about her party’s chances of picking up a swathe of new council seats. 

‘It’s going to be a long night and there will be ups and downs – we hold the majority of the seats up for election in England, so never expected big gains, ‘she said.

‘These results will show the progress we have made thanks to Keir’s leadership since the disastrous 2019 election result. 

‘Labour is a renewed and confident party, making headway in England, Scotland and Wales.

‘As we have shown throughout this campaign: Labour is your side, and we have the plan to deliver the security, prosperity, and respect that the British people deserve.’ 

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey predicted his party would ‘gain ground in areas across the Blue Wall where voters are fed up of being taken for granted by the Conservatives’.

‘After knocking on hundreds of doors this election one thing is clear: people are sick of Boris Johnson’s Conservatives,’ he said.

‘They have had enough of seeing their taxes hiked, sewage dumped in their rivers and local health services run into the ground.

‘People deserve a strong local champion who will stand up for their community, and a government that helps them with the cost of living emergency.’

The prospect of Mr Johnson being forced out of Number 10 over tonight’s election results was gleefully seized upon by Dominic Cummings, the PM’s estranged former chief aide, today.

The ex-No10 adviser made a sensational polling day plea for voters to force ‘regime change’ as he launched a blistering attack on the ‘intellectually, politically, and organisationally rancid’ Tories.

Referring to Mr Johnson as ‘the trolley’ and a ‘clown’ in a Twitter tirade, Mr Cummings claimed it was ‘irrational’ for Tories to ‘prop up’ the PM any more.

Earlier today, Mr Johnson appeared in good spirits as he visited Methodist Central Hall in Westminster to cast his vote. 

In a selfie video posted on social media afterwards, Mr Johnson appealed for people to focus on their local Tory candidates.

‘It is Conservatives who deliver,’ he said. ‘It is Conservatives who get the bins collected, fill in pot holes… ‘

Sir Keir and his wife cast their ballots in the local elections for Camden Council at a polling station in Kentish Town, north London.

As well as Partygate, the Tories have been hit with a string of controversies, including former Wakefield MP Imran Nasir Ahmad Khan being found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage boy and veteran MP Neil Parish quitting after admitting he watched pornography in the House of Commons.

Sir Keir said the Government had broken the Covid regulations they had put in place ‘over and over again’ and said the Tory ‘failure’ to tackle the cost of living crisis had been a ‘disgrace’, along with the Chancellor’s decision to hike national insurance last month.

Writing in the Daily Mirror, Sir Keir said: ‘The British public shouldn’t have to put up with a Government that refuses to take seriously the very real issues facing you and your family.’

However, the Labour leader has also been struggling to fend off questions about his own alleged lockdown breach, amid claims he ordered £200 of curry for up to 30 aides at around 10pm during a visit to Durham last year.

He was pictured drinking beer at the gathering, but insists his team were working.

Nicola Sturgeon will be looking for a strong result for the SNP as she cranks up her demands for a second independence referendum by the end of next year

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford saw his status soar during the Covid crisis – but was also fiercely criticised for imposing tougher Coronavirus restrictions for longer than in England

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There is an expectation that Sinn Fein could be on the brink of a historic election victory in Northern Ireland and become the largest party for the first time

The local election battlegrounds that could decide the PM’s fate 

Here are some of the key contests to look out for in each region of England, as well as in Wales and Scotland.

North-west England

Bury – estimated declaration time, 8.30pm Friday May 6

Bury has all of its 51 seats up for grabs this year. Labour has run the council since 2011 but has only a small majority and will want to improve its position in what is the party’s traditional heartland of Greater Manchester. Bury’s status in this year’s elections was reflected by the fact Sir Keir and Mr Johnson both visited the town during the campaign. (E)

Bolton – 12.30am Friday May 6

Bolton is another key test for Labour in Greater Manchester, but here it is hoping to take back control from the Conservatives who have run a minority administration since 2019. A third of the council’s 60 seats are being contested. (12.30am)

Pendle – 4.30pm Friday, May 6

Pendle is being defended by the Conservatives, who won a slim majority last year. If the Tories lose two seats, the council will slip back into no overall control. Elections are taking place for 12 of the 33 seats. (4.30pm)

Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness – 1pm Friday, May 6 

Two new unitary authorities that will elect councillors for the first time this year. The two authorities cover the whole of Cumbria. Cumberland is comprised of the former district councils of Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland, while Westmorland & Furness covers Barrow-in-Furness, Eden and South Lakeland. All the main parties will be jostling for prominence in these new ‘super-councils’ and the outcome in both contests could be close. (Cumberland 2.30am, Westmorland & Furness 1pm)

North-east England

Sunderland – 2am Friday, May 6

Run by Labour since 1973, but both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have made advances in Sunderland in recent years. A third of the council’s 75 seats are up for grabs this year, and if Labour suffers six or more losses it will lose overall control. Although Sunderland is part of Labour’s so-called ‘Red Wall’ – areas of the country that saw many Tory gains at the 2019 general election – all three Sunderland MPs are Labour and the party defied predictions in 2021 when it retained its majority on the council. 

Hartlepool – 2am Friday, May 6 

The Conservatives and Labour are fighting to be in with a chance of taking overall control of the council – or failing that, end up the largest party and lead a minority administration or a coalition. The Tories won the parliamentary seat of Hartlepool from Labour at a by-election in May 2021. A strong showing by independent candidates could spice up the outcome of this year’s contest. Some 13 of the council’s 36 seats are being contested.

Yorkshire & the Humber

Kirklees – 6.30pm Friday, May 6

Currently run by Labour but the party does not have a majority in Kirklees. A third of seats are being elected and just two gains by Labour would give it overall control. Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are also hoping to do well. 

Wakefield – 5pm Friday, May 6

A Labour stronghold and is not likely to change hands, but the party will be hoping for a solid performance ahead of the expected parliamentary by-election in the city later this year, after Conservative MP Imran Khan was convicted of sexual assault. A third of seats are being contested. 

Hull – 3.30am Friday, May 6 

Hull is a two-way fight between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Labour’s majority has been whittled away in recent years and the party goes into this year’s election defending a majority of one. A third of the council’s seats are in play and the Lib Dems are hopeful of victory. (3.30am)

West Midlands

Dudley – 4am Friday, May 6

A crucial test for both the Conservatives and Labour. The Tories hope to build on the slim majority they secured at the 2021 local elections, while Labour will want to halt the blue advance and make gains themselves. A third of the council is up for grabs. (4am)

Solihull – 1pm Friday May 6

Another West Midlands metropolitan council under Conservative control, but the main opposition is the Greens. The party has been slowly eating into the Tories’ majority and will hope to take a few more bites this year. One third of Solihull’s seats are being contested.

Nuneaton & Bedworth – 4am Friday May 6

Dominated by the Conservatives after a bumper performance in last year’s elections. Labour will hope to demonstrate it is making a comeback, having controlled the council as recently as 2018. Half of the 34 seats are holding ballots.

Newcastle-under-Lyme – 3pm Friday May 6

Set to be a battle royal between Labour and the Conservatives, with every council seat up for grabs and the Tories defending a tiny majority. Success here for Labour would suggest the party is winning back support in one of its target areas of country. The parliamentary seat of Newcastle-under-Lyme was won by the Conservatives in 2019 after being held by Labour for the previous 100 years. 

East Midlands

Derby – 5am Friday May 6

Derby is currently run by the Tories as a minority party. Labour will be looking to make gains in another test of party’s ability to win back support in urban areas of central England. An unknown factor is the popularity of the Reform Derby party, based on the former Brexit Party, which is standing candidates in all the seats being contested. There are 17 of the council’s 51 seats up for grabs. 

Eastern England

St Albans – 4pm Friday May 6

St Albans saw the Liberal Democrats make enough gains in 2021 to take overall control, but with a slim majority. The party will want to improve its numbers this year as an example of how it is now the main opposition to the Conservatives in parts of the so-called ‘Blue Wall’ of southern England. The entire council is up for election. (4pm)

Peterborough – 2.30am Friday May 6 

A long-running Conservative-Labour battleground and for decades the council has see-sawed between a Tory majority and no overall control. It is currently run by a minority Conservative administration and Labour will want to make gains to show it is recovering in a city it lost to the Tories at the 2019 general election. A third of seats are being contested. 

Basildon – 1am Friday May 6

This Essex battleground could provide clues to how the Conservatives are doing in the commuter belt around London. The party won control of the council last year and will hope to consolidate its position in elections for a third of its 42 seats. 

Stevenage – 2.30am Friday, May 6

A commuter-heavy area in Hertfordshire, but this time it is Labour who will be hoping to make progress. The party has controlled the council continuously since its creation in 1973 but will want to show it can reverse the losses it made last year. A third of the seats are up for grabs. 

London

Barnet – 7am Friday May 6

Labour’s top target in London for the third election in a row. The party failed narrowly to win control in 2014, while 2018 saw the council swing further towards the Conservatives, with local Labour members blaming the row over antisemitism in the national party. Labour needs to gain nine seats to form a majority. As with every council in London, all seats are being elected. 

Wandsworth – 5.30am Friday May 6

Another long-standing Labour target, but here the party managed to increased its number of councillors in both 2014 and 2018. The Tories have held the council since 1978 and have made a point of charging residents one of the lowest average levels of council tax in the country, so a Labour victory would be of symbolic significance. 

Hillingdon – 4am Friday May 6 

This borough contains the constituency of the Prime Minister and has been controlled by the Conservatives since 2006. Labour is hoping to make gains, but the outcome is hard to predict as the size of the council is being cut from 65 to 53 seats.

Westminster – 3am Friday May 6

A flagship borough held by the Tories continuously since its creation in 1964. But Labour has slowly increased its number of councillors at recent elections and will want to make more progress this time. Given the current volatile political climate, plus a reduction in the size of the council from 60 to 54 seats, the final result could be close. 

Harrow – 5pm Friday May 6 

A council where the reduction in the number of seats from 63 to 55 could work in either Labour or the Conservatives’ favour. Labour won a narrow majority in both 2014 and 2018 but the borough’s electoral districts have been substantially redrawn for 2022 and both parties could profit from the new-look map. 

Sutton – 4am Friday May 6

A Liberal Democrat-Conservative battleground that has been run by the Lib Dems since 1990. The party should retain control again this year, but the Tories will hope to make gains and chip away at the Lib Dems’ small overall majority. 

South-east England

Crawley – 2pm Friday, May 6

Has tilted between Conservative and Labour control in recent years but neither party has an overall majority. It would take only a couple of gains for either the Tories or Labour to take full control of a council deep in the commuter belt of West Sussex. A third of seats are being contested. 

Gosport – 5pm Friday May 6

The council sees the Conservatives, who have only a small majority, under pressure from the second-place Lib Dems. All the seats are up for grabs and boundary changes across the borough means the outcome will be even more unpredictable. 

Worthing – 2pm Friday May 6

A top Labour target and the party goes into the election level-pegging with the Conservatives on 17 seats each. The Tories currently run the council as a minority administration but Labour has made steady gains in recent years and is hoping to take full control this year. A third of seats are being elected.

Southampton – 5am Friday May 6

Another Labour target and winning control from the Conservatives would help demonstrate the party is building back support in southern towns and cities. The Tories are defending a majority of two and a third of the seats are being contested. 

South-west England

Somerset – 4pm Friday May 6

Undergoing major changes this year in its system of local government. Until now the area has had a county council and four district councils (Mendip, Sedgemoor, South Somerset and Somerset West & Taunton) but these are being scrapped and replaced with a single unitary authority. Elections are taking place for all 110 seats in the new-look organisation, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats fighting for control. 

Wales

Blaenau Gwent – 3pm Friday, May 6

This council has been run by a group of independents since 2017, some of whom used to be in the Labour Party. Labour is keen to take back control and might be helped by a reduction in the number of seats from 42 to 33. 

Cardiff – 5pm Friday May 6

A key council for Labour, where the party will hope to defend its slim majority. The number of councillors is being increased slightly from 75 to 79, which might make the outcome more unpredictable. 

Flintshire – 3pm Friday May 6 

Sits in an area of Wales, the north east, where the Conservatives did well at the 2019 general election. The party won only six council seats in 2017 compared with Labour’s 34, so they are hoping to make an advance this year. For its part, Labour will want to remain the largest party and even win a majority, although the total number of seats is being cut from 70 to 67.

Scotland

Aberdeenshire – 3pm Friday May 6

A Conservative stronghold, but like many councils in Scotland, power is shared between several parties. All councils in Scotland are elected using the single transferable vote (STV) system, where voters rank candidates and results are based on preferences rather than the winner-takes-all method used in England. This leads to many councils ending in no overall control, but encourages parties to work together either informally or as part of a coalition. The Tories have run Aberdeenshire in partnership with the Lib Dems and a group of Independents. Their success this year may hinge on the popularity in Scotland of the Tories’ UK leader Mr Johnson.

East Renfrewshire – 2pm Friday May 6

A three-way battle between the Conservatives, Labour and the SNP with each hoping to end up the largest party. 

Edinburgh – 3.30pm Friday May 6

The council has been run by a joint SNP-Labour administration for the last five years, but the Conservatives head into this election as the largest party on the council. The Lib Dems and Greens have a smaller number of councillors but both will hope to make gains from the larger parties. 

Glasgow – 4pm Friday May 6 

The council has been run by the SNP since 2017 in what has been their first stint in control of the city, albeit as a minority administration. The party needs only a few gains to take full control, but Labour – which had previously run the city since 1980 – is keen to stop them.