LibDem hemorrhage

The LibDems have lost control of Stockport and Labour have taken control of Sheffield. The LibDems admit they are going to lose all their seats on Manchester council. Their leaders on Liverpool and Sheffield will also lose their seats. "We have been wiped out in the fights with Labour in the North," a source added. "They have given us an absolute kicking."


Update 1: So far the LibDems have 23 seats - 25 down. More than a 50% drop!


Update 2: They now (3:40) have 40 seats - 81 down. A two thirds loss!

LibDem kicking

LibDems are losing control of councils in the north of England, losing seats in large numbers and seeing their share of the vote collapse in Scotland. John Leech, the Lib Dem MP for Manchester Withington, posted a message on Twitter saying: "We've taken a real kicking in the ballot box tonight."

What they need now is a real kicking!

George Galloway

On the Scottish LibDems:


"They're down there with the Monster Raving looney party."

One down...

LibDem candidate found dead:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-13303351


Not so much "better fewer, but better" as "better fewer, period".

Scotland

It looks like Labour are facing defeat in Scotland, the Tories losing ground, and the LibDems facing meltdown. The winners are the SNP & (relatively) the Greens:

http://twitter.com/#!/iainmartin1/statuses/66266934601187328

Update 1: the first result (Rutherglen) shows a 7.4% swing from Labour to SNP

Update 2: The SNP have gained Hamilton from Labour. The swing from Labour to the SNP was 11%. That  would be enough, if generalized, to give a pro-independence-referendum majority at Holyrood. Labour are blaming their own meltdown on the collapse in the Tory/LibDem vote!

Key councils to watch

The outcome in these 50 council elections will give an indication of how the main parties are faring:

http://lgiu.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/local-elections-2011-50-councils-to-watch

Paddy Ashdown's hypocritical diatribe

Paddy Ashdown has laid into the Tories for their role in the lying NO2AV campaign:


"So far the coalition has been lubricrated [sic] by a large element of goodwill and trust. It is not any longer. The consequence is that when it comes to the bonhomie [sic] of the Downing Street rose garden, that has gone. It will never again be glad confident morning..."


Come on, Paddy, no one could be that naive! Why would the Tories do anything else than oppose even the most remotely progressive tinkering with the UK electoral system? And when have the Tories ever cared about the truth?


The fact is, the referendum was poisoned from the outset by the LibDems' willing abandonment of PR.