Friday 06 May 2016 1:26 pm

Election 2016 results live: Pressure piles on Jeremy Corbyn as Labour loses seats in local elections

By: Catherine Neilan

Update: Jeremy Corbyn has praised his party for having "hung on" in the local elections, after suffering an embarrassing set of results across the country. 

But pressure is piling onto the Labour leader, with the party's rebel alliance suggesting a revolt could be imminent as at least one MP saying he has a year left to turn things around.

From the councils that have reported so far this morning – 96 of the 124 total – Labour has lost 25 seats, despite the first seat declared – in Birmingham – being a Labour gain. 

Corbyn's party has lost one council – Dudley – which joins Walsall as having no overall control, after a surge in votes for Conservative candidates.  

Pete Lowe, Dudley Labour group leader, told the BBC: "On the whole we are disappointed that we lost the crucial last seat, and just by three votes."

Conservative Patrick Harley added: "To take four gains, three from Labour, I would say is exceptional."

The Conservatives have lost their majority at Worcester City Council, taking 17 seats to Labour's 16, with the Greens taking two seats. The party also lost Rugby to no overall control. 

However, the Tories have actually increased the total number of seats held. 

Despite seat changes, the breakdown of the country's councils looks broadly the same as it did before – but it must be noted that this is the first time an opposition party has lost seats in mid-term elections since the mid-1980s. 

Ukip has had the most successful night with the number of seats up by 20. The party also fared well in Wales, with seven Assembly members elected.

The anti-Semitism row appears to have cost Labour at least three seats with Bassetlaw MP John Mann claiming the anti-Semitism row harmed the party in Bury.

"It is clear that the Jewish vote, which for generations in families has been Labour, has gone against Labour tonight," he told the BBC. "We have seen that in Bury, we have seen it in Glasgow."

Labour's upset in the English councils comes on top of a bad night north of the border where the left wing party is on course to drop into the third place, behind the Conservatives.

Former Labour MP Peter Hain has said Labour is "not doing well enough" – something he said was "a matter for Jeremy now".

He told the BBC

This is a matter for Jeremy now. He loves the Labour Party. He's a strong socialist – he will want Labour to do well. He has to decide how he can make sure we can win majority support back again. He's not been able to do that so far and that's his big challenge.

Others have also weighed in on Corbyn's leadership. 

Backbench Bermondsey MP Neil Coyle said the party was "moving away from government" under the Islington North MP, while John Ferret, leader of the Labour group on Portsmouth Council, told BBC Radio he was "incompetent" and "incapable of giving the leadership we need".

And an unnamed MP is quoted as describing Corbyn as "clearly a weak leader who people do not feel will keep them safe in an uncertain world". 

The politician added: "Corbyn and co campaigned on the basis that winning elections doesn't matter – they have been forced to accept that it does and there is only so long you can get away with losing. 

"He has until this time next year to prove he won't hand 2020 to the Tories on a plate, which currently seems the case from these results."

But deputy leader Tom Watson has defended his boss, telling Sky News: 

"Jeremy has only been the leader of the Labour Party for eight months. He has taken his party back from a very low base, one of our worst every election defeats a year ago this month."

Results for the London mayoral elections will not be revealed until later today, but exit polls suggested Sadiq Khan had the edge on his rival Zac Goldsmith. 

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