Local election results 2023: Lib Dem gains in traditionally Tory areas

The Liberal Democrats have been celebrating local council victories in traditionally Tory areas in England.

They have improved on 2019 - the last time these seats were fought - gaining more than 400, and taking control of 12 councils including Windsor and Maidenhead, and Stratford-on-Avon.

Party leader Sir Ed Davey said he had a "Cheshire Cat grin" on his face.

Elections expert Prof Sir John Curtice said the Lib Dems had done slightly better than in 2019 and 2022.

But the party has made strong progress in the Tory "Blue Wall" areas it will be targeting at the next general election.

The BBC has projected that if the whole of Britain had had the chance to vote in Thursday's local elections and had behaved in the same way as those who did vote, the Liberal Democrats would have won 20% of the national vote, with Labour on 35%, the Conservatives on 26%, and other parties on 19%.

In Windsor and Maidenhead, a 22-year-old Lib Dem defeated the Conservative leader of the council, as the party turned a three-seat Tory majority into a three-seat Lib Dem one.

In Stratford-on-Avon - where the parliamentary seat is held by Conservative former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi - the party gained 15 seats, while the Tories lost 14.

The Lib Dems also took control of Surrey Heath - where Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove is the MP - and overturned Tory majorities in West Berkshire, Dacorum in Hertfordshire, and Horsham in West Sussex.

The party won control of Guildford in Surrey, Chichester in West Sussex, South Oxfordshire, and three councils in Devon - South Hams, Teignbridge and Mid Devon.

With almost all results now declared, other Lib Dem highlights included leapfrogging the Tories to become the largest party in West Oxfordshire - which includes ex-Prime Minister David Cameron's former seat of Witney.

The party also strengthened its grip in Hull, holding off Labour's efforts to regain control of the authority.

On Friday morning, Sir Ed told supporters near Windsor Castle: "Voters across the country have sent a clear message in these local elections that even someone as out of touch as Rishi Sunak can't ignore it.

"I'm so proud that when Katy Perry and Lionel Ritchie enter Windsor Castle for the coronation concert on Sunday, they'll be going into a ward that's represented by three brand new Liberal Democrat councillors."

He also said it had been a "ground-breaking night", with his party "exceeding all expectations".

Since 2021, the Liberal Democrats have targeted what they call "blue wall seats" - traditional Tory strongholds with more affluent, higher educated, anti-Brexit populations.

Although it has had some success, notably winning the Buckinghamshire parliamentary constituency of Chesham and Amersham, the party's overall poll ratings have remained at around the 9% mark.

Gains in these latest set of local elections may buoy the party's hopes of a strong performance in the next general election, widely expected in 2024.

However, Liberal Democrats traditionally perform better in local than in general elections and there is no guarantee that this week's successes will translate into further victories next year.