Early results in local elections in England have seen labour and the Liberal Democrats gain key councils at the expense of the Conservatives

Labour has gained control in Plymouth, Medway and Stoke-on-Trent, a dormer Labour stronghold.

The Lib Dems won Windsor and Maidenhead.

So far, the Tories have lost majorities in 10 councils.

Only a small number of councils counted overnight and most of the results will not be confirmed until later on today.

The polls for more than 8,000 council seats on 230 councils, and four mayors, across England closed on Thursday.

Rishi Sunak has acknowledge disappointment at the early results but noted that only a quarter of councils have declared results so far.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Medway to celebrate his party’s victory in the Kent council with local activists. He told the crowd: “You didn’t just get it over the line, you blew the doors off.”

he said Labour were “on course” to win a majority at the next general election.