Election results: Tories lose Hinckley and Bosworth to Lib Dems

  • Published
Nick Rushton at the North West Leicestershire District Council count
Image caption,
Leicestershire County Council leader Nick Rushton kept his seat

The Conservatives have lost control of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.

The Liberal Democrats are now the largest party, having won 21 of 34 seats, with the Conservatives second on 11, having lost 10.

Labour have maintained their huge majority in Leicester and the only Conservative, Ross Grant, has lost his seat in the Knighton ward.

Labour's Sir Peter Soulsby has been re-elected as Mayor of Leicester with 51,444 votes.

Conservative candidate, Sandip Verma, came second with 14,519 votes.

The Tories remain in control of Melton Mowbray Borough Council, where independents have five seats.

They also retained Rutland, North West Leicestershire District Council, despite losing five seats, and Blaby, although they lost four seats.

Charnwood Borough Council and Harborough District Council were also held by the Conservatives.

Image caption,
The Liberal Democrats took control of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council for the first time in four years

In Hinckley and Bosworth, the Liberal Democrats regained control of the council for the first time in four years.

The party held Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, where they gained five seats.

For the Conservatives in North West Leicestershire, their majority was reduced to two after the Lib Dems added three seats, the Green Party gained one and a third independent was elected.

As well as gaining a councillor in North West Leicestershire, the Green Party also now has one member in Melton Mowbray.

Analysis

By Tim Parker, BBC Leicester political reporter

In North West Leicestershire it was an exciting night - first it looked like the Conservatives were going to lose control, but it ended up with them only losing a total of five seats.

They now have 20 councillors there. Labour have 10, but not all necessarily in the same seats.

The Lib Dems picked up three new seats and the Green Party have what I think is their first seat in the district.

Despite the worrying start, the Conservative leader Richard Blunt held his nerve.

After the count he said: "It's a very strange election for a midterm. With Brexit around you couldn't walk into the room and work out what's going to happen.

"To come out with our fourth straight victory, have 20 seats when the nearest party have 10, clearly means we're in the driving seat to get on with projects."

Nick Rushton, Conservative leader of Leicestershire County Council, retained his Long Whatton and Diseworth seat, meaning his party has 20 seats on the council.

Labour has 10 representatives on the county council, with the Lib Dems on four, three independents and one Green Party member.

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