Cameron hails “remarkable” local election results

David Cameron hailed a "remarkable" set of Local Election results after the Conservatives gained control of councils across the country - and some for the first time in nearly three decades.

We won Lancashire and Derbyshire County Councils, both of which had been Labour for 28 years; and we gained control of Staffordshire for the first time since 1977.

In the South West, we won Somerset and Devon County Councils from the Liberal Democrats, and we could be the largest party in Cornwall. It is the first time we've held Devon since 1989.

We gained control of Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire County Councils, and won the new unitary authority of Central Bedfordshire Council.

The Conservative candidate, Linda Arkley, won the North Tyneside mayoral election by nearly 4,500 votes.

David Cameron stressed, "The Conservative Party have won all over the country – from Lancashire to Devon and Somerset to Derbyshire" - and he hailed the efforts of Conservative supporters across the country.