Local elections 2022: Live updates, results and reaction from the local elections across Yorkshire

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Turnout in the South Yorkshire mayoral election was 26.37 per cent, the combined authority have announced.

The results of the election are expected to be announced later today.

Boris Johnson faced a backlash from local Tory leaders as his party lost major London authorities to Labour and suffered setbacks across England.

Sir Keir Starmer’s party further strengthened its grip on the capital, taking the totemic Tory authority in Wandsworth, winning Westminster for the first time since its creation in 1964 and clinching victory in Barnet.

As dozens of Tory councillors lost their seats against a backdrop of the row about lockdown-busting parties in No 10 and the cost-of-living crisis, local Conservative leaders criticised the Prime Minister.

John Mallinson, leader of Carlisle City Council hit out after Labour took control of the new Cumberland authority which will replace it.

He told the BBC: “I think it is not just partygate, there is the integrity issue.

“Basically I just don’t feel people any longer have the confidence that the Prime Minister can be relied upon to tell the truth.”

There are a quiet couple of hours now, with most of the councils left to declare expected this afternoon.

We’ll keep bringing you the reaction from everything that happened overnight - but be sure to check back this afternoon for the results as and when they come in.

The leader of the Labour group of Barnet council, which looks set to be another Labour gain, said this was less of a reflection on enthusiasm for his party and more a reflection of disillusionment with the Tories.

Barry Rawlings told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’ll be honest, it’s not us being wonderful.

“I think a lot of Conservatives haven’t voted this time, I think they feel alienated from No 10 and that they are, I don’t know, they’ve been disappointed with Boris Johnson and so not voting and I think that’s made a difference as well.”

Conservative MP David Simmonds said Boris Johnson has some “difficult questions” to answer after the party’s losses in the local elections.

The MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner said voters were unhappy about the disclosures over lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall.

“It was a pretty clear message on the doorstep. Clearly the Prime Minister has got some difficult questions to answer,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

“Overwhelmingly the message that I heard on the doorsteps was people were broadly positive about the Government’s policies but they are not happy about what they have been hearing about partygate.

“He said, ‘I will take full responsibility for these election results’, and I think he needs to confront that question now.”

Oliver Dowden has insisted that Boris Johnson is the right person to lead the Conservatives into the next general election following the losses overnight, and put the results down to mid-term concerns from the electorate.

He told Sky News this morning: “I think looking at the picture of the results so far, they demonstrate that whilst there have been difficult results, they are consistent with what you’d expect with us from mid-term.

“Labour are certainly not on the path to power and I believe that Boris Johnson does have the leadership skills, in particular the energy and the dynamism that we need during this difficult period of time.

“So no, I don’t think we should remove Boris Johnson as our prime minister, I think we should stick with him”.