Tories gain control of Northumberland, Harlow, Redditch and Nuneaton & Bedworth councils in big wins
Labour suffered a series of defeats across the country in the local elections, including in its heartlands
Conservatives gain councillors won in usually left-wing stalwart wards including in Sunderland and Tyneside
The Tories, Lib Dems and Greens all made significant gains in several seats as Labour went backwards
Liverpool has elected its first black female mayor as Labour held on to the role despite corruption allegations
Results painted a brutal picture for Sir Keir Starmer's party on Super Thursday, as he also loses Hartlepoo
A left-wing Labour politician appeared to mock leader Sir Keir Starmer last night as the party braced for a battering in the Super Thursday local elections.
As sources from across the political spectrum began painting a disastrous night for Labour, MP for Brighton Kemptown Lloyd Russell-Moyle took to Twitter on Thursday night to question his party's attempts to change its image.
He said: 'Good to see valueless flag waving and suit wearing working so well... or not?'
The comment seemed to be a reference to a leaked strategy document which suggested Labour must make 'use of the flag, veterans, dressing smartly' to win back voters in red wall seats in the party's former industrial heartlands.
Labour leader Keir Starmer became a figure of ridicule this morning as he was subjected to an avalanche of memes urging him to stand down after party stronghold Hartlepool was won by the Tories.
As #StarmerOut began to gain traction on Twitter the 58-year-old was likened to a clown and suggested to be so weak he could be defeated by a feather.
Another teasing image mocked him up as Rick Moranis's bumbling character in film Honey I Shrunk The Kids, this time titled 'Honey I shrunk the Labour Party'.
And he was even photoshopped so he replaced Boris Johnson in the humiliating picture of him waving flags stuck on a zipline.