Political Editor Emily Hudson sums up the nightpublished at 07:06 BST
Emily Hudson
BBC South Political Editor
No doubt about it, it was a bad night for Labour. Losing control of Southampton City Council, wiped out on Portsmouth and five seats down on Oxford City. They lost to the Greens and Lib Dems. Reading, the only real success story, but they were never going to lose there.
It was a pretty bad night for the Conservatives. Perhaps not as “seismic” as predicted, but with seats still to declare, it looks like they could be 20 seats down on Hampshire County Council. Maybe they’ll end up the largest party, but it’s not a given. But they might take some comfort from the fact there’s still a true blue heartland in Fareham, even with the MP Suella Braverman switching allegiance to Reform and telling true Conservatives to come with her. The Tories kept control there comfortably, Reform won only a single seat.
It was a pretty good night for the Liberal Democrats – they’ll be celebrating taking back control of Portsmouth City Council. Reform had been confident there. But the high turnout wasn’t all for them. The Lib Dems have also taken four seats on the county council (and rising) and two in Southampton.
The Greens too can go to bed happy, gaining five seats on Oxford city and four seats on Southampton.
But as I write this at 06:30 BST was it really the night Reform UK in the South wanted? Without doubt the party has something to celebrate. The party added seats and in many of the ones their candidates didn’t win, they came second. But the Reform hasn’t yet managed to swipe a council, and I think they’ll feel disappointed about that. Reform has probably been affected by the issues with the wrong ballot papers going out in parts of Havant the most, expect calls for a full investigation.
A few hours respite, then we go again, counting takes place today for Isle of Wight, Wokingham, Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, Winchester, Rushmoor, Basingstoke. Coffee anyone?
