Local elections - as it happened: Corbyn insists Labour ‘ready for an election', despite missing top London targets
All the latest updates, as they happened
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Your support makes all the difference.Labour has urged the government to scrap controversial ID pilots, which saw some voters turned away during local elections in England.
Parties faced mixed results at the polls, although Jeremy Corbyn insisted Labour was "absolutely ready" for a general election, despite failing to deliver on its pledge to snatch key councils from the Tory clutches.
While Labour made gains in areas like Plymouth and Trafford, it was unable to win the Tory "crown jewels" in London, such as Wandsworth and Westminster.
The party had hoped to seize Kensington and Chelsea from the Tories in the wake of public outcry over the Grenfell Tower tragedy but failed to do so, while its chances in Barnet - which has a large Jewish population - may have been damaged by the recent antisemitism row.
The Conservatives capitalised on the near-collapse of Ukip, and gained control of councils in Peterborough, Southend and Basildon, with a small swing in their favour outside London.
Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats won several councils - including target seats of Richmond-upon-Thames and Kingston-upon-Thames - while the Greens elected a string of new councillors.
Theresa May has visited Barnet, in North London, where Labour failed to snatch control from the Tories - despite significant efforts.
She said: "I think here we have also seen something else at play. I think people of all faiths have rejected the vile antisemitism that has gone unchallenged in the Labour Party for too long."
Former minister Denis MacShane runs down the 10 things we have learned from the general election.
Read his column here:
The Conservative Party managed to retain the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea despite public outcry last year over the Grenfell Tower disaster and criticism of the council's response to the tragedy which claimed the lives of 71 people.
Labour had hoped to seize control of the West London council, a Conservative stronghold since 1965 and is often described as a Tory "crown jewel".
More here:
Afghan interpreters, who worked with British troops fighting the Taliban, will be allowed to stay in the UK for free, home secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed after it emerged they could face deportation.
More than 150 interpreters who served on the front line in Helmand Province were granted sanctuary in the UK in 2012 under a five-year visa set to expire next year.
Story here:
Indy sketchwriter Tom Peck takes a sideways look at last night's election coverage here.
Boris Johnson has taken the opportunity to stir the pot over Brexit, by claiming the positive election results were down to Theresa May's commitment to leave the single market and the customs union.
The Cabinet is bitterly split over the future customs relationship with the EU, as warring ministers were unable to agree on an approach at the Brexit war cabinet this week.
Results from the daytime counts have started coming in.
Conservatives have gained control of Redditch, taking two seats from Labour and one from Ukip. The party also retained control of Woking but lost Mole Valley, in Surrey, to no control.
Labour has won Kirklees, West Yorkshire, from no overall control after gaining three seats. It kept control of Hastings and Crawley.
Interestingly, sources say the Liberal Democrats are on course to win Kingston upon Thames - one of the party's key target seats.
Away from the elections, Unite's Len McCluskey has apparently avoided an attempt to rerun his leadership election.
The Guardian's political correspondent writes:
State of parties after 130 of 150 councils
Conservatives: 42 councils; 1,125 seats (-41)
Labour: 62 councils (-1); 1,692 seats (+75)
LibDems: 6 councils (+2); 403 seats (+37)
Green: 32 seats (+4)
UKIP: 3 seats (-55)
BNP: (-1)
Independent: 87 seats (-66)
Liberal: 1 seat (-1)
Ratepayers and Residents: 46 seats (-4)
No overall control: 20 councils -1
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