Local elections: Labour suffers heavy losses as UKIP crumbles

The Conservatives are celebrating a strong showing in local elections, with Labour suffering significant losses and UKIP's support collapsing.

Votes have been cast in elections to 88 councils in England, Scotland and Wales, plus mayoral contests which include six new devolved super-regions.

The Tories have control of 16 of the authorities declared so far - gaining areas including Derbyshire, East Sussex, Norfolk, Gloucestershire, Isle of Wight, Lincolnshire, Warwickshire and Monmouthshire.

Many of the gains were at the expense of UKIP, with the party losing all of its councillors in Essex and Lincolnshire - the county where leader Paul Nuttall is hoping to become an MP in next month's General Election.

In a far cry from their breakthrough performance in 2013, UKIP has only won one seat across Britain so far - with Alan Hosker taking the seat of Padiham & Burnley West on Lancashire Council.

Mr Nuttall said UKIP had been "victims of our own success" following the Brexit vote, but insisted a bright future lies ahead.

But millionaire Arron Banks, a prominent former donor, is far more pessimistic. He said UKIP is "finished as an electoral force" under the leadership of Mr Nuttall - and claimed the party now needs "a strategic bullet to the back of the head".

:: Live - Election results and reaction

:: Analysis - Catastrophic blow for UKIP

Sky's Election Analyst Michael Thrasher has said UKIP's share of the national vote could fall as low as 3% - down from 22% four years ago.

This suggests Prime Minister Theresa May is set for a strong showing on 8 June - however, former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith warned against "extrapolating" local results.

He told Sky News: "These are very different elections. A lot of the issues on the doorstep are local issues - everything from education to who picks up the garbage.

"This is a good, solid night for the Conservatives but it doesn't bode anything for the General Election, I don't think."

The Tories also retained control in Somerset, Dorset, Essex, and Hampshire.

Conservative Tim Bowles emerged triumphant in the contest to elect a metro-mayor in the West of England, while Labour's Steve Rotheram won the metro-mayor race on Merseyside.

Results from the four other super-regions are expected later.

:: All the results as they arrive

Labour have lost more than 200 councillors so far, with a number of disappointing results.

According to Sky sources, Labour have lost overall control of Glasgow City Council, where they had been in power since 1980.

There are forecasts of further heavy losses for the party in Scotland as results are declared throughout the afternoon.

In Wales, Bridgend was lost to no overall control and Blaenau Gwent lost to independent councillors.

The picture is murkier in Merthyr Tydfil, where there is no overall control at present. The final three seats here are going to be declared on 8 June, and Labour will need to win all of them if they are going to retain a majority.

Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Torfaen and Swansea were all Labour holds - better news for Jeremy Corbyn and Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones. According to Sky sources, the party have also held Cardiff.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told Sky News that Labour had suffered a "tough" night with some disappointments, but it was not the wipeout some polls had predicted.

And London's Labour mayor, Sadiq Khan, said: "We have got to understand there is a reason why people haven't been voting Labour in the numbers they should.

"We have got five weeks to turn this around, I will be working my socks off supporting the party across London."

Over in Doncaster, Labour's Ros Jones was re-elected as mayor after taking more than 50% of the vote in the first round - with Norma Redfearn also re-elected as mayor of North Tyneside.

The Liberal Democrats had a mixed night. Although they defeated the Tory leader in Somerset, they failed to prevent the Conservatives from retaining control of the council.

Meanwhile in Eastleigh in Hampshire, former Lib Dem MP Mike Thornton secured one of three gains from UKIP.

Former business secretary Vince Cable said it had been a "neutral" night for the Lib Dems.

He warned that although it was heartening to see the party's overall vote share had increased significantly, especially in areas where they hope to gain MPs in the General Election, there was still some work to do.

"We're in a relatively encouraging position, though there hasn't been a spectacular breakthrough," Mr Cable added.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Cable suggested Remain-supporting Conservatives "would be worried" following the early results - as they indicate the Tories have taken on the voters and values of UKIP.

"That will make a lot of people pause in the weeks ahead," he told the Sunrise programme.