Election results explained: The key points as Tories deliver blow to Labour in Scotland

Jeremy Corbyn's party fared better in England, where it held onto many councils it was predicted to lose

A bad night for Labour in Scotland and Wales but better news for the party in England where it held onto many of the councils it was predicted to lose.

The best news for the Conservatives was in Scotland where the party pushed Labour into third place – its best result ever. However less good news in England with the party’s share of the vote down by around four per cent since the General Election.

Plaid Cymru saw surprising gains in the Welsh Assembly elections where Ukip also picked up seven seats.

Scotland

Labour has lost 13 Scottish Parliament seats, including 11 to the SNP and two to Conservatives. The Conservatives have gained 16 while the SNP lost six and the Greens gained four.

The Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson secured a seat at Holyrood on the first past the post part of the election by winning Edinburgh Central from the SNP. However Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale failed to gain her seat of Edinburgh Eastern relying on the top-up system.

The Liberal Democrats appear to be bouncing back north of the border with their leader Willie Rennie returning to Holyrood in North East Fife, while the party also took Edinburgh Western from the SNP and held on to the Orkney and Shetland islands.

Wales

Labour are the largest party in the Welsh Assembly but don’t have an overall majority and will need the backing of another party to govern. It also suffered a blow after one of its senior politicians was defeated by Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood.

Ms Wood's gamble to go head-to-head against cabinet minister Leighton Andrews paid off taking 50.6 per cent of the vote and bringing a massive 21.1 per cent swing in the process.

In terms of seats Labour lost one, Plaid gained one, the Tories lost three, Ukip gained seven while the Lib Dems lost four.

Councils

With results in from 111 out of 124 councils declared, Labour was down by 23 seats, the Conservatives down by 28 Ukip up by 29 and the Lib Dems up by 27.

Labour has lost control of Dudley council in the West Midlands, but held on to major cities including Birmingham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Sunderland, as well as key southern outposts like Exeter, Southampton, Crawley and Slough .

Ukip has gained seats in Thurrock, Tamworth and Bolton councils. It has also come second in two by elections.