as i said earlier, oliver dowden has written — said earlier, oliver dowden has written to— said earlier labour and the lib dems are in a packed —— he is alleging they are in a secret— a packed —— he is alleging they are in a secret pact where candidates will stand — in a secret pact where candidates will stand down to make sure they're not standing against each other in the elections. some people might have looked and thought why is that no person— have looked and thought why is that no person from the labour party standing — no person from the labour party standing for my seat and why is there _ standing for my seat and why is there are — standing for my seat and why is there are no lib dem person standing from my— there are no lib dem person standing from my seat? you have to see this against _ from my seat? you have to see this against the — from my seat? you have to see this against the background of how the local elections are being portrayed. we know— local elections are being portrayed. we know that there is a whole exercise — we know that there is a whole exercise going on to de

the conservative party chairman oliver dowden acknowledged the party had suffered some "difficult resultshere 77 out of 146 councils declared in england. hunting under way elsewhere in the uk. labouraround hunting under way elsewhere in the uk. labour around 1200 councillors because they have added their tipple. conservatives have lost 121 councillors are now total is 545. the liberal democrats have added 58, making bad total 261. the greens have added 23 councillors, their total is now 39. that is the state of play so far. our political correspondent helen catt has the story so far. a symbolic win for labour — wandsworth in south london, tory for 44 years, until now. even in an election about local services, having the lowest council tax in the country didn't keep it blue. the cost of living crisis did come up, as did the massive cuts from the government since 2010. and also boris johnson. borisjohnson was a vote winner for labour, as indeed was keir starmer as well. and i remind you, huw, in 1998, a year after our landslide victory, we didn't win the seat in wandsworth. in 2002, after o

difficult it is going to be for the prime minister and the civil service top right we have seen oliver dowdenor civil servant in the country, simon case, is not resigning and will not be sacked, and that issued the statement in the last hour before officially seeing the report. how can they say that when they have not seen the contents? it is how can they say that when they have not seen the contents?— not seen the contents? it is a really good — not seen the contents? it is a really good question - not seen the contents? it is a really good question and - not seen the contents? it is a l really good question and there not seen the contents? it is a - really good question and there has been a lot of speculation about the cabinet secretary's future and there is an expectation that if he was fined, he would have to think about his position but we know that he was not fined. but there has been a lot of speculation that he could be the sacrificial lamb over this, he could be the person who because of... it is expected to be report will be really bad for the civil service and he is the head of the

oliver dowden is not going to get the same response as we will be getting, giving the leader of our electione. what are they actually offering?— they actually offering? isn't the truth that in _ they actually offering? isn't the truth that in a _ they actually offering? isn't the truth that in a large _ they actually offering? isn't the truth that in a large part - they actually offering? isn't the truth that in a large part of i truth that in a large part of england. _ truth that in a large part of england, it's not a new challenging the liberat— england, it's not a new challenging the liberal democrats and if we look at the _ the liberal democrats and if we look at the next _ the liberal democrats and if we look at the next election, 0k, it might be two _ at the next election, 0k, it might be two years away but that is a lot of work _ be two years away but that is a lot of work you — be two years away but that is a lot of work you have to do between now and then _ of work you have to do between now and then so — of work you have to do between now and then so isn't the truth that you need _