Labour suffer heavy losses in local elections across England

Labour has suffered heavy losses in local elections across England, with Reform UK emerging as the biggest winner of the night.

Early counting shows Labour has lost more than two hundred council seats and control of authorities including Hartlepool, Tameside, Redditch and Tamworth.

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has gained over three hundred seats, sweeping through traditional Labour heartlands.

Speaking in west London this morning, Sir Keir Starmer accepted responsibility, describing the results as tough, but insisted he would lead Labour into the next general election.

Some Labour MPs have called on him to step down.

The results carry weight for Gibraltar.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and Sir Keir have known each other since their days as young lawyers, and it was Sir Keir's Labour government that concluded the UK-EU Treaty agreement on Gibraltar last June.