Labour suffers big council losses

Labour suffered a bruising night in the local elections losing scores of seats across the country.

Early research suggests the party has fallen into third place nationally with 24% of the vote, beaten by the Tories on 44% and Lib Dems on 25%.

So far they are the worst local poll results for Labour in 40 years.

In the Black Country there was no change as the Tories held onto Walsall and Dudley and the Labour group maintained its power at Sandwell. Cannock remains as a hung council.

Wolverhampton were due to start counting at 9.30am.