this is bbc news i'm lewis vaughan jones with the latest headlines the conservatives lose almost 500 seats in local elections across britain as local democrats make big gains in england. success for labour in london as they take three previously flagship conservative councils. elsewhere labour fails to make significant gains. we've had a tough night in some parts of the country but on the other hand, and other parts of the country you still seeing conservatives going forward and making quite remarkable gains. believe you me, this is a big turning — believe you me, this is a big turning point for us! the steps of 2019. _ turning point for us! the steps of 2019. the — turning point for us! the steps of 2019, the general election back on

track _ 2019, the general election back on track. ., ,., 2019, the general election back on track. . . , 2019, the general election back on track. ., ., , ., ., track. labour gains are overshadowed b news track. labour gains are overshadowed by news that — track. labour gains are overshadowed by news that cares _ track. labour gains are overshadowed by news that cares armour— track. labour gains are overshadowed by news that cares armour is - track. labour gains are overshadowed by news that cares armour is under. by news that cares armour is under investigation by durham police but allegations of lockdown rules last year. meanwhile... the local are jubilant as they gain almost 200 seats far more than any other party. the greens to make big gains. in northern ireland the nationalist party sinn fein looks set to be on course to make history winning the most seats for the first time in stormont. also tonight as russia tightens its grip on mariupol the family of troops under siege plead for their safe passage out. harry and meghan say they will attend platinum jubilee celebrations, the queen is decided they will not be appearing on the buckingham palace balcony in norwell prince andrew. and do stay with us because at half past 11 with you to be taken a look at the papers. the front pages on

saturday morning. hello and if you justjoined us welcome to bbc news. we begin with the english elections and conservatives lost nearly 500 council seats across england, wales and scotland after what the prime minister described as a tough night for the conservative party. labour took control of three flagship previous conservative but made significant gains elsewhere. it sorry for and the greens had a good night as well. counting will continue on saturday in northern ireland with the results could bring

seismic change if it's predicted sinn fein wins the most seats, the first time a non—unionist party will of when that position. installing smp is finishes the party. we will have more on all of that in the moment. verse eight look up the results in england. nearly 200 of those went to the lib dems. they could would have 30 with the 16% divide but the other parties and independents. 0ur political editor does contain some flashing images. political editor does contain some flashing images. 0k, folks, this is going well. trademark optimism, a contrast with the facts.

around 500 tory councillors have lost. but in the safety of a primary school classroom in his constituency, the prime minister did not seem downcast. that's a very good, that blue margin, there. what about some sort of baubles here? he lost iconic london councils, giving away comfortable conservative ground. and what are we going to have when we have the party? - anger at downing street parties and concerned about making ends meet... there you go. ..yielded some terrible results, yet not disaster. mid—term and it is certainly a mixed set of results. we have had a tough night in some parts of the country but on the other hand, in other parts of the country, you are still seeing conservatives going forward and making quite remarkable gains. not in london, where his labour rival had big reasons to smile this morning, winning over territory held by the tories for decades. we've just done it! cheering. westminster! cheering.

wandsworth! steps forward, but outside london, perhaps not big, bold strides labour needs. this is a massive turning point for the labour party. from the depths of 2019, we are back on track now for the general election, showing what the change that we have done, the hard to change that we have done in the last two years, what a difference it has made. have you heard from - durham police, sir keir? any comment on their investigation? yet, as he travelled to celebrate success in cumbria, too, allegations over lockdown chased him there. the police will now investigate claims that the labour leader broke the rules, having beer and curry with colleagues. anything to say about - the investigation, sir keir? have you heard from durham police? questions he had to answer again. no party, no breach of the rules. the police obviously have got theirjob to do. we should let them get on with it. but i'm confident that no rules were broken. free of lockdown claims,

voters' response to the lib dems was warm in many places, grabbing seats in cities, hulland birmingham. from the tories in kent, tunbridge wells, somerset and pockets of affluent london. the message from some green suburbs will cause tory nerves. they are saying they have had enough of this prime minister, and i think the tectonic plates of british politics are shifting. and now it is up to conservative mps to shove the prime minister into the abyss. remember, your votes stitch together a giant patchwork, not a picture that is the same in every corner of the country. cheering. there was striking labour success in london that will hurt for the tories, who broadly fell back further in the south than in the north of england, their coalition fraying more at its traditional end. but labour's jubilation

in the capital wasn't always matched by enthusiasm elsewhere. the greens picking up pace, too, with dozens of gains. but while results in england perhaps confirmed much of the status quo... the scene is set for a genuine moment of change in northern ireland. cheering and applause. look at this — for the first time, voters seem poised to make sinn fein the biggest party. that would be a moment of history and a moment of challenge and uncertainty for the uk. i'm very grateful for all those people that came out and engaged in what was a very positive campaign. leaders whose dream is leaving the union for a united ireland would be in charge. that could shift the tone of political conversation in scotland, where the snp, who also want to leave the uk, saw more success and maintained their dominance. crucially, labour moves

up into second place. the scottish tories in a slump. and labour grew in wales, too, the biggest party profiting at the expense of the tories. yet spin back a few weeks and many tories in there feared a complete calamity. they have had a terrible time in some parts of the country but this hasn't been a wipe—out. and labour has moved forward but not far or fast enough to be sure of power. remember, these elections give us clues, not concrete convictions of what is coming next but it seems the two big parties are somehow locked in an uncomfortable status quo. that is very good. no dramatic breakthrough for his main rival, no total breakdown for the conservatives. borisjohnson has taken knocks today, but still stands to carry on. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster.

danny savage reports from durham on why keir starmer is under investigation after the police have previously said they didn't think it broke down lockdown rules. the question is did sir keir starmer break lockdown rules during a visit here to dermody drink beer in the office of local mp? both he and the labour party satan over the rules are broken and that was the initial assessment of durham police who carried out an inquiry earlier this year and establish that no further action should be taken. but an updated statement from them today says following receipt of significant new information the investigation, a new investigation is now underway. so what were those rules a year ago? well, they were gathering indoors with people from your own household or support level was allowed. anybody else wasn't. but there was an exemption for work and the question that durham police have now is whether labour officials eating and drinking together would

have been reasonably necessary for work. at best, this is uncomfortable for keir starmer are, at worst he could prove to be a rule breaker just like the prime minister and the chancellor and could face calls to resign. these are anxious times for the hierarchy of the labour party. watch this space for updates on that investigation. jerry savage and durham. jerry savage and durham. let's speak to our political correspondent ione wells. the dust is slowly beginning to settle on the elections. from where you're sitting, what really are the headlines out of this set of very complicated stories, often very local ones? i complicated stories, often very local ones?— complicated stories, often very local ones? ~' ~ , , . local ones? i think the key picture that is emerging _ local ones? i think the key picture that is emerging is _ local ones? i think the key picture that is emerging is that _ local ones? i think the key picture that is emerging is that the - local ones? i think the key picture | that is emerging is that the picture for the tories has got steadily worse throughout the day. the picture for labor, positive and parts i think they're happy with certain gains although not necessarily enough to be confident that they are necessarily on track to win the next general election, which is sending the message that

the labour leader sir keir starmer wanted to per trade today. i suppose in terms of headlines this really quite a bad day for the conservative party. good day for the labour party although maybe not as good as they had hoped especially outside of london. particularly though a good day for the liberal democrats, they have made gains in tory heart lands which they are very pleased with. certainly making a number of conservative mps a little nervous particular parts of the southeast with the liberal democratic party at significant gains today. i think there over all good winners today in terms of headline figures. i think what's interesting to note is the way the tory picture has developed throughout the day. days ago academics were saying that the number that the conservatives really wouldn't want to hit was about 350 losses in seats. they have nearly hit that figure in england alone with big losses to in scotland and wales. the leaders of the tories in scotland and wales, particularly

looking and hinting towards a national picture playing a part here. issues like party gate scandal and the cost of living issues that the westminster government here are grappling with at the moment. certainly playing a role on the doorstop in scotland and wales. certainly also not necessarily as big gains as labour would potentially hoping outside of london, they certainly made symbolic gains here in the capital gaining those seats from the conservatives of wandsworth and barnett and west minister, all big symbolic gains for labour early in the day. as we further, labourers success is somewhat overshadowed lately look back later this afternoon by the labour leader keir starmer was going to be investigated by durham police over whether or not he broke lockdown rules campaigning in the elections this time last year back in april. certainly not the headline that labour were wanting to deal

with at this stage in the evening. not much time for an inquest. although doubts there will be one b and the government i suppose, devil makes for idle hands, plots a more covered when hands are idle. guess what we've got next week? the state opening in parlin, presumably from the governments part of view an opportunity to reboot things and try and get back on the front foot. that's right. this will be the opportunity where the government is setting out its plans for new legislation that it wants to bring forward. a chance for a bit of a reset, particularly for some of its mps that are worried about the negative headlines that have happened over the last couple of months. whether or not that will be enough to convince some of the tory mps who are nervous about the leadership at the moment is yet to be seen. certainly at the moment we haven't had sways of tory mps who weren't already critical of the prime minister coming out and being critical of his leadership, certainly we had some of the usual

suspects out on the airwaves on some of those things this evening. it is notable there have been some tory counsellors in areas where they have suffered losses pointing a finger at the leadership and blaming that national picture saying that while there was a potential for local conservatives they were struggling to beat that narrative nationally with many pointing to the fact that voters were wanting to send conservatives here in west minister a message with these local elections. i a message with these local election— a message with these local elections. ., ., elections. i hope you get to have some rest- _ votes are still being counted for the northern ireland assembly, but sinn fein could be on course for an historic victory. they finished account in the last few minutes. they finished account in the last few minutes. the elections decide who will become the largest party at stormont. only about a third of the 90 seats have been declared so far, but if sinn fein end up with the most seats, for the first time in its history of the devolved government, a nationalist party would be

entitled to the first minister role. if the executive is reformed. that is a big if tonight. that is a big if tonight. 0ur ireland correspodent emma vardy has the latest, and a warning, this report contains flashing images. heading towards a new future. sinn fein are hoping this is the moment that marks an end to the domination of unionism in northern ireland for a century. today is a good day. it is about change, it is about progress and it is about partnership in what is, we believe, the election of a generation. sinn fein is known as the harder line nationalist party in the assembly, that ultimately wants to leave the uk and become a united ireland. kelly, gerry, sinn fein, 8300... but instead, the party fought its campaign on the challenges facing working—class families. we have got very good results. we are very happy with them. we went to the people and as we have said before, this six—week campaign was on the issues.

it's cost of living, it's health, it's all of that. but even if sinn fein win the most seats, they must share power at the top with the dup, who recently walked out of that arrangement. what if the dup won't go into government with you? this is a democratic election, so on the other side of it, we're saying very clearly that it needs everybody, including the dup. so the dup have the answer why they would be against that. even after all the votes are counted here, there is little chance of a properly functioning government. the dup has said it will block full power sharing unless there are changes to the brexit arrangements, that new trade border down the irish sea. i think you will see in the majority of our seats we will retain, that people want us to be in a government that works and they want to see good government in northern ireland. so until the government and the european commission resolve the protocol, i'm afraid there is going to be an impact on the emergence or the reformation of an executive in the short—term. the elections brought success for the alliance party, neither unionist nor nationalist,

showing an increasing number of people don't want to be dominated by the issue of whether northern ireland should remain part of the uk. but for now, a sinn fein victory would be a new milestone in the decades—old struggle over what northern ireland wants to be. the snp has emerged the winner from the scotland returning the highest number accounts again. the labour party has recovered some of the ground it lost in recent years taking second place from scottish conservatives. their leader blame party gate for the losses suffered. 15 years ago. the snp swept to power in scotland and nicola sturgeon�*s party is still going strong, gaining more new councillors than anyone else, strengthening its dominance of local government. we have increased our share

of the vote, we have increased the number of councillors that we have returned, we are the largest party and we have more councils, i think, today than yesterday. so this is an astonishing result for the snp and an absolutely brutal rejection of borisjohnson and the conservatives. labour are also pretty pleased with their performance. five years ago, they were pushed into third place by the tories, humiliating for a party which was once the dominant force in scottish politics. it's a good day for the scottish labour party. after almost a decade, we are seeing labour firmly back on the pitch, we are making gains across the country, we are firmly in a good, strong second—place. but let me be clear to people across scotland, i don't aspire for the labour party to be in second place. the scottish conservative leader, though, is seeking shelter from the storm. douglas ross had called for borisjohnson to resign before changing his mind when russia invaded ukraine. but he is still trying to pin the blame on number ten for losing

more than 60 councillors. the public have been very clear, they have sent a message here in scotland and across the united kingdom that they are not happy with the prime minister, they are not happy with partygate and, as i say, many of them just stayed at home on thursday. it is not that they have switched parties, theyjust didn't come out to vote and we as a party across the united kingdom will look at that. the greens almost doubled their tally, hailing a record result, while the lib dems also gained seats. the snp moved to majority control in dundee, while labour took charge in west dunbartonshire. but in most councils the coalition building and deal—making begins now. so, labour have made gains in scotland but the party remains a distant second to the snp in a country which remains deeply divided on the question which nicola sturgeon insists remains her key aim, independence. james cook, bbc news, glasgow.

mark trey first said it's pretty good day for his party. it made the biggest gains in terms of seats concrete won control of three more councils, most held in wales. the welsh conservatives have lost control of the only council they held in wales, monmouthshire. it's the first time since 1995 that labour will have the largest group on the council. but today, vows were renewed, from bridgend to monmouthshire. here in merthyr tydfil, too, voters who'd flirted with others in the past have returned to the fold. well, it has been a good day for labour here in wales. we have made gains in every part of wales and we have done especially well where it has been the conservatives who have been our main opponents, and for the next general election, that is very important indeed. where seats were traded, many fell into labour's hands out

of conservative control. the tories lost their only welsh council and say they have paid the price for mistakes made in westminster. wherever you went, that national message was the message that was coming across on the doorsteps, that sadly was hitting home and was detrimental to local campaigning that was going on by our candidates. for plaid cymru, this election was a difficult path to tread. tied into an agreement with labour in the senedd, some thought their message would be muted. but having picked up seats, they argue they have come out stronger. well, i mean, it has been an incredible and historic result for us. we have never had four plaid cymru councils outright before in our history. while some taste success, the picture is still mixed for most of wales. here in merthyr tydfil, like most councils, no one party is in overall control, and so there may be weeks of negotiations before everything is settled. hywel griffith, bbc

news, merthyr tydfil. most are now in. here's reeta chakrabarti on what the numbers show so far. this is the state of the parties at the end of this election. only two councils left to declare in england and as you can see, labour has gone ahead, picking up councillors. the conservatives have had a poor performance. they have lost several hundred in england. and if you factor in wales and scotland as well, they have lost nearly 500 councillors. it is a different story for the liberal democrats. they have had a very good night. and the greens, too, have done well, picking up many seats. let's take a look at some of the individual councils across the three nations. starting in london, where labour had a very good night at the expense of the conservatives. they gained westminster from the conservatives, that is a borough that had been tory since its inception. they also gained wandsworth

and barnet from the tories, psychologically very positive for them. they have also gained seats from the conservatives in the south of england, so they have taken southampton from the conservatives. the tories lost the only council they were in control of in wales, monmouthshire in south wales. that is a conservative loss. it is now in no overall control. the conservatives have also lost west 0xfordshire, that is now hung, where david cameron used to have his seat. and huntingdonshire, where john major used to have his seat. in bridgend in south wales, that is a labour gain from no overall control. but i can tell you that last time those seats were fought, it was the conservatives that went forward and labour that lost so that has essentially been reversed. in scotland, the snp remain pre—eminent and they have gained dundee from no overall control.

and as i said, the liberal democrats had a very good night of it, particularly in the south of england and they have gained gosport from the conservatives. if you want to find out what has happened in your area, do go to the bbc news website where you can go to the postcode tracker. enter your postcode there to find out all the information. that is, as i say, on the website or the bbc news app. earlier i spoke to the director of episodes here and tell me what these local or election results could mean for future elections.— for future elections. there are ranue, for future elections. there are range. if— for future elections. there are range. if he — for future elections. there are range, if he could _ for future elections. there are range, if he could take - for future elections. there are range, if he could take that i range, if he could take that national share at face value, there are a range of potential possibilities ranging from a reduced conservative majority to the hung parliament where they might be the largest party. at same time these are local elections, the general election is years away. i think how each party seems to adapt to the key

challenges faces be that the cost of living, russia's invasion of ukraine, other issues are to be what dictates and what happens next was is no set trajectory from where we are today versus where we are in general election. that makes a general election. that makes a general election. that makes a general election very unpredictable for the reasons given. certainly labour will feel like they can be competitive for the next generation. 0bviously now is their chance to show it. obviously now is their chance to show it. �* , . ~ obviously now is their chance to show it. �* , ., ~ ., obviously now is their chance to show it. �*, ., ~ ., , ., show it. let's talk a bit about the rest of the _ show it. let's talk a bit about the rest of the uk. _ show it. let's talk a bit about the rest of the uk. we've _ show it. let's talk a bit about the rest of the uk. we've dealt - show it. let's talk a bit about the rest of the uk. we've dealt with l show it. let's talk a bit about the i rest of the uk. we've dealt with the english results because we pretty much have all of those. we have all the results now in scotland where they are voting, none of the counsellors coming into the election held by an individual party. watch the picture looking like now? first thin that the picture looking like now? first thing that struck _ the picture looking like now? f "st thing that struck me is how resilient the snp is and i am very pleased with their performance yesterday. be clear that the other thing to look at is the balance of

relationship between conservatives and sinn fein in second place. this has potential ramification for the future at west minister elections, the future general election. also has ramifications for the snp is continued strength in scotland and their independence in the future referendum. steady as she goes to some extent. that second place also important to. the some extent. that second place also important to— important to. the conservatives had a aood run important to. the conservatives had a good run in _ important to. the conservatives had a good run in wales _ important to. the conservatives had a good run in wales particularly - a good run in wales particularly under david cameron's leadership. how are things looking for them now? i think what we are starting to see is the reversal of some of the swing towards conservatives that we saw when these local counsel seats with cover 17 a well spent 28 in england. this is a place where obviously counsellors —— succeeds it towards conservatives. if the strengths of the local elections continue in general election that obviously

raises the prospect of labour gaining seats on the conservatives. next time will have to wait and see how things play out. let me bring you some of the other main stories today. me bring you some of the other main stories today. the convenience store chain mccoll�*s says it's appointing administrators, putting 16,000 jobs at risk. but tonight, there's hope of a rescue deal being put together by the billionaire brothers who co—own asda. a teenager has been jailed for 6.5 years for the manslaughter of 14—year—old dea—john reid in birmingham last year. the teen, who cannot be named due to his age, was cleared of murder last month. a statment read in court on behalf of dea—john's mother said her son had been chased down by a "lynch mob" before he was stabbed in the heart. covid infections have fallen across every nation of the uk. around 2 million people are estimated to have had the virus week, according to the 0ns. that's a drop of almost a third. the number of people in hospital with covid has also fallen tojust over 10,000, the lowest number since the end of february.

and we'll be taking an in—depth look at the papers with our reviewers, daisy mcandrew, who's a talktv presenter, and the columnist for the article ali miraj. that's coming up after the headlines at 11:30pm. now it's time for the weather with helen willetts. hello there. quite a chilly start this morning across the glens of scotland. quite across the glens of scotland. quite a murky grey wrong with that rain around initially drizzly rain and then the cloud breaks up to give a few showers to not entirely drive for the best of the sunshine will be in western areas. they'll be more clout in eastern areas and maybe feel a little bit cooler here. temperatures generally won't be as high as they will in the last days

because of a little bit more cloud and also wanted to wanted to show us around. some mist and fog first thing sunday morning then england and wales looked to be dry, a was in general, little a schools of the east coast but instead we pick up a bit of aji rate for another tile in scotland, western scotland later in the day. the outlook is a little bit more unsettled into next week and the dry weather, the warm weather further south.

hello, and welcome to our look ahead to what the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me are the talk tv presenter daisy mcandrew and columnist for the article, ali miraj. let me bring you up—to—date with the front pages and we can show you that this time. the technology is back with us.

the express reports the prime minister borisjohnson