Native elections 2023: newest outcomes and reactions after polls shut throughout England – stay updates | Native elections

Outcomes from greater than 60 councils are anticipated in a single day with the rest anticipated to trickle in all through the day on Friday.

Shabana Mahmood MP, Labour’s nationwide marketing campaign co-ordinator, mentioned: “We’re happy with the optimistic marketing campaign now we have run, centered on the problems that matter most to voters.

“This can be a cost-of-living election. We’ve got set out the alternatives we’d make to assist folks via the cost-of-living disaster, reduce crime and reduce NHS ready lists, however the Tories have been silent on the problems that matter most.

“If the Conservatives go backwards from their disastrous 2019 native election outcomes, the voters can have despatched a damning message about Rishi Sunak’s management.

“It’s going to be a protracted night time and the total image of outcomes won’t type till properly into Friday afternoon however we anticipate to make beneficial properties and present we’re making the progress within the locations we have to win on the subsequent election.”

Liberal Democrat deputy chief Daisy Cooper mentioned: “I’ve knocked on numerous doorways in current weeks and heard actual anger and frustration from voters who’re sick and bored with being taken with no consideration by this Conservative authorities. Tonight, their voices will likely be heard.

“I need to take this chance to thank Liberal Democrat councillors, candidates and volunteers who work tirelessly for his or her communities. They’re true native champions who arise for his or her native areas, and have achieved the get together proud.”

A Tory spokesperson mentioned: “This will likely be a tricky night time for the Conservatives. Any authorities which has been in energy for 13 years is extremely more likely to lose seats.”

The Conservatives have sought to handle expectations by pointing to forecasts by tutorial consultants Profs Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher which recommend they may lose greater than a thousand seats if issues go badly.

The Tory spokesperson added: “Impartial consultants Rallings and Thrasher have mentioned we may lose over 1,000 seats.

“But when Labour need to be in with an opportunity of taking workplace after the following common election as they did in 1997, they must be making very vital beneficial properties as they did in 1995 – the final most comparable election – something lower than that can pose critical questions for Labour HQ.”

The evaluation by professors Rallings and Thrasher recommend beneficial properties of greater than 700 for Labour would signify Sir Keir Starmer’s get together’s finest efficiency for at the least a decade, which may put them on the trail to turning into the most important get together at a common election – even when in need of an general majority within the Commons.

Campaigners against the photograph ID requirement mentioned it had been a “darkish day for democracy”.

Tom Brake of Unlock Democracy, who’s main a coalition of teams against the transfer together with the Electoral Reform Society, Truthful Vote UK and Open Britain, mentioned “many 1000’s” of individuals had been estimated to have been turned away.

“Right now has been a darkish day for British democracy. Reviews from all around the nation affirm our very worst fears of the influence of the disastrous coverage which has been made worse by the shambolic approach it has been launched,” he mentioned.

“One voter turned away is one too many, however early estimates level to many 1000’s of individuals being turned away and denied their proper to vote.

“Too many individuals had been unaware that they wanted photograph ID or weren’t clear on precisely what sort of ID was required.

“The buck for this assault on democracy rests squarely with authorities. This coverage was all the time a sledgehammer on the lookout for a nut to crack.”

Electoral Fee: some folks had been unable to vote as a result of new ID rule

The Guardian’s Midlands correspondent Jessica Murray spoke to voters in Stafford earlier than the native elections and located there was a combined outlook within the “blue wall” city.

Whereas some voters had been turning away from the Tories, they weren’t essentially turning in direction of Labour.

She writes:

All 40 seats on Stafford borough council are up for grabs, and Labour is hoping a mixture of anger over nationwide political scandals and frustration over native points may give it the benefit it must wrest general management from its rivals.

However the view amongst voters on Tuesday was decidedly combined. “This would be the first time I’ve not voted Tory in my life,” mentioned Phil Howard, 75, a retired driver for GEC, as soon as a serious employer within the city. “This yr is a very completely different ballgame. Because the Boris Johnson affair it looks like the get together have gone to items. Simply take a look at immigration, price of dwelling, and even domestically, the city feels lifeless. However I don’t know who I’ll vote for. All I do know is it gained’t be Tory.”

You may learn her full dispatch right here:

The polls for the native elections in England have now closed.

Voters have determined who will run companies in 230 native councils with round 8,000 councillors’ seats.

4 native mayoral posts are additionally up for grabs in Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield and Middlesbrough. These mayors are the directly-elected leaders of their native authorities.

Key outcomes to look out for throughout England

Aletha Adu

Hiya and welcome to our stay protection of the native elections throughout England.

With greater than 8,000 seats up for grabs, we are going to carry you the newest outcomes, response and evaluation after voting has resulted in 230 native authorities throughout England.

Earlier than polls opened, Rishi Sunak mentioned Conservatives had been braced for a tough night time. He blamed his predecessors, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, saying that Tory councillors would lose their seats due to the “field set” psychodrama that enveloped the get together final yr.

He mentioned:

Good councillors will lose their seats due to all that has occurred over the previous yr.

I’ve solely been prime minister for six months however I do imagine we’re making good progress. Simply take into consideration the place we had been then and the place we at the moment are.

Our economic system is in significantly better form. Our politics doesn’t really feel like a field set drama any extra. And our associates and our allies know that we’re again.

This native election was the primary in England the place voters needed to produce photograph ID. And there have been some experiences throughout the day on Thursday that individuals with out ID had been being turned away from polling stations.

Different individuals are saying the photograph ID rule has been an inconvenience, as a result of it stopped them voting after they in any other case would have achieved.

In the meantime, Labour are hoping to comb the election in a take a look at of the get together’s wider probabilities earlier than a common election subsequent yr.

We’ll carry you all the newest information, key outcomes and developments as counting progresses via the night time.