Labour just about holds on in Wales

Labour has suffered bruising losses in Wales, but the Conservatives failed to make as many gains as expected.

First Minister and Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones saw his party lose control of Bridgend, the area he represents in the Assembly, after losing 10 seats.

The party was also dealt a severe blow in the south Wales valleys, with independents taking control of Blaenau Gwent, and in Merthyr Tydfil, the Labour council leader was defeated.

Labour fared better in other areas – retaining overall control of Cardiff, Swansea, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Newport and Neath Port Talbot councils and winning the same number of seats as it held previously on both Wrexham and Flintshire councils, both of which remained under no overall control.

One political expert said Labour had shown “resilience” in Wales, but it would be different for the general election when it was Theresa May versus Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Jones said: “Welsh Labour candidates and activists can be incredibly proud of themselves today – they fought another tough election, and once again defied the odds.

“The Tories had been briefing that they’d be walking into power right across Wales this morning – that simply has not happened.

“People realise that only Welsh Labour will stand up for Wales and we thank them once again for that trust.” Conservatives have made advances across England and Wales, gaining hundreds more councillors and winning tightly-fought battles for elected mayors in the West Midlands and Tees Valley.

The emphatic victories – fuelled by a collapse in the Ukip vote as anti-EU supporters flocked back to the Tories – set the scene for a substantial increase in Theresa May’s House of Commons majority if repeated on June 8.

Describing the elections as “tough”, shadow chancellor John McDonnell took solace in the fact they were not “the wipeout that some people predicted” and insisted there was still “all to play for” in the coming general election.

Liberal Democrats had a mixed election, failing to break through against the Tories in the south-west England battleground but making advances in some general election target seats like Eastleigh and Wells.

Speaking during a visit to a factory in west London, Mrs May said: “I will not take anything for granted and neither will the team I lead, because there is too much at stake.

“The reality is that today, despite the evident will of the British people, we have bureaucrats in Europe who are questioning our resolve to get the right deal.

“And the reality is that only a general election vote for the Conservatives in 34 days’ time will strengthen my hand to get the best deal for Britain from Brexit.

“So today, I will continue my efforts to earn the support of you, the people.”

Conservatives won the West of England metro mayor contest, while Labour claimed the mayoralties in Greater Manchester – won in the first round of voting by former cabinet minister Andy Burnham – Liverpool, Doncaster and North Tyneside.

A day of triumph for Tories misery for Labour saw:

Severe blows for Labour in the south Wales valleys, with independents taking control of Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil.

Labour held key Welsh councils in Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, but lost control of Bridgend – the stronghold of First Minister Carwyn Jones, which Mrs May had targeted with a campaign visit.

Former John Lewis managing director Andy Street won the West Midlands mayoralty by fewer than 4,000 votes over Labour’s Sion Simon, after the and second preferences of other candidates were redistributed.

Conservative Ben Houchen became the first elected mayor of Tees Valley, in Labour’s north-eastern heartland, beating Labour’s Sue Jeffrey by more than 2,000 votes in the second round of counting.

Victory for Conservative Tim Bowles over Labour’s Lesley Mansell in the runoff for the West of England metromayoral post, covering Bristol and Bath.

A Ukip wipeout in former stronghold Lincolnshire, where Conservatives took overall control.

Conservatives also took control of Cambridgeshire, East Sussex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Monmouthshire, Isle of Wight, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Lancashire.

In Derbyshire, the Tories took 19 seats from Labour as the county passed directly from one party’s hands to the other.

Mr McDonnell insisted that Labour’s vote “held up” in areas of Wales where Jeremy Corbyn had campaigned, and said there were signs that voters were developing more confidence in the party leader as he had the chance to get his message across.

He repeated Labour’s challenge to Mrs May to take part in TV debates, contrasting Labour’s “open, engaging” campaign with the “robotic” appearances by the Prime Minister.

Speaking during an early-morning round of interviews, he said: “So far, it’s been a tough night, but it hasn’t been the wipeout that people expected.”

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said Conservatives were winning support from former Labour voters because of Mr Corbyn’s “feeble” leadership.

“Voters who previously voted for all three – Lib Dem, Labour and Ukip – are now seeing that what this country needs is a government with a full, working majority to negotiate a good, successful exit from the European Union and to build a stronger, fairer Britain after that,” he said.

“To do that you need a proper working majority and that’s what Theresa May is asking for from people who previously wouldn’t have voted for us and may well have voted either Ukip or Labour.”

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron claimed that strong performances in target areas like St Albans – where he addressed activists – meant his party was on track to more than double its presence of nine MPs at Westminster.

Carwyn Jones.