Key points
- Labour and Tories now think Sadiq Khan to win narrowly in London - amid 'wild' rumours
- Labour shadow minister says'we need to reflect' over Gaza stance
- Labour wins mayoralty in PM's own backyard
- Relief for PM as Tory mayor clings on in key race
- But Sunak admits overall results are 'disappointing'
- Tories could be 'almost annihilated' at general election
- Starmer hails Labour wins - but admits Gaza cost him votes
- And party fears possible result to come in London mayoral contest
- Vote 2024: Council results in full| Mayoral results as they happen| Labour will fail to gain overall majority based on council election results - projection
- Live reporting by Katie Williams, Emily Mee, and (earlier) Andy Hayes andBen Bloch
What results are we expecting tomorrow?
The final election result for today has been declared - but there will be more to come on Saturday.
Seven mayoral contests will be announced: London, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, South Yorkshire and Salford.
Fourteen London constituencies will also be announced, along with the London-wide top-up list that will elect another 11 assembly members.
Plus, four councils should be declared - North Tyneside, Stroud, Warrington and Epping Forest, where most of the results have already been announced.
A further eight police and crime commissioners will be revealed.
Labour gains nine police and crime commissioner posts
Over the course of last night and today, Labour has gained nine police and crime commissioner (PCC) posts from the Conservatives.
The party also held five posts, with another 10 to be declared over the weekend.
This means Labour holds 14 PCCs and the Conservatives 12, while Plaid Cymru has retained Dyfed-Powys.
While these elections get much less attention than those for mayors, councils and the London Assembly, they could be significant as they include many of the shires that traditionally lean towards the Conservatives.
Labour's future success is less clear-cut after the local elections
We went into this set of local and mayoral elections with two big questions: Is Labour on course for a majority and how bad is it going to be for Rishi Sunak?
On the Sunak question, it's a very clear-cut story.
The Tories are having as bad a night as their worst nightmare.
There is a 19-point drop in the Conservative vote compared with the 2019 general election - one of its worst performances ever.
But it's not an all-out win for Labour, either.
Read more from our political editor Beth Rigby below...
Conservatives lose Gloucester after 20 years in control
The council is now under no overall control, with the Liberal Democrats, Labour and independents making gains.
The Tories had held Gloucester for 20 years.
Boundary changes in the area have helped the Liberal Democrats and meant all seats were up for election this year.
Vote 24: A close analysis of the local election results
It's been a bruising day for the Conservatives as the party looks on track for its worst local election result ever.
Labour has taken control of a string of Leave-voting councils, secured victory in the mayoral election in Rishi Sunak's back yard and won the Blackpool South by-election.
Our economics and data editor Ed Conway picks out the example of Rushmoor - a typically Tory-voting council which Labour has taken control of for the first time - as an example of a significant Labour win.
"Even in the late Tony Blair period... the Labour share was always low and it's just climbed up in the last few elections," he says.
"We're seeing here unprecedented results, that's underlining the national swing."
Despite Labour's success, however, there are "other stories going on", Ed notes, with the party's vote in areas with larger Muslim areas falling, potentially as a result of its stance on Gaza.
Lib Dems gain council from Tories
It's a huge moment for the Lib Dems as they gain Dorset Council from the Conservatives.
The party took 13 seats from the Tories to secure an overall count of 42.
The key local election results in 60 seconds
If you're just catching up, our political correspondent Serena Barker-Singh can get you up to speed in the space of a minute.
Handful of council results to go
There's just a handful more council results set to be declared in what has been a bumper day of local elections.
We've had a few more through this evening - including a gain for the Lib Dems from no overall control in Tunbridge Wells.
The party won eight seats there, while the Tories lost three and Labour lost one.
The Lib Dems have also held Woking council after gaining four seats.
Elsewhere, Labour has held West Lancashire, while Elmbridge, Bristol and Cherwell remain under no overall control.
Ben Houchen's win in Tees Valley not necessarily a comfort to local Tory MPs
In the days running up to the elections, Number 10 was verging on the unsubtle.
Senior Downing Street figures were conceding that should Ben Houchen lose the mayoralty of the Tees Valley Combined Authority to Labour, there would be a challenge to Rishi Sunak. At that point they would be unable to stem the tide of letters sufficient to trigger a vote of no confidence.
In turn, this might have triggered an unwanted and catastrophic early election.
This is unusual behaviour - for the prime minister's closest allies to be openly speculating on his survivability - yet it is a sign of the turbulence of politics of the moment.
There was method in their madness.
Read more from our deputy political editor Sam Coates below...
'People don't have any trust in the government'
People in Grimsby - one of Sky News's general election Target Towns - have been offering their views on the current state of politics in the country.
Bex Wright, who owns a barbershop in the town, tells our news correspondent Tom Parmenter that people don't "have trust in the government", while customer Matt Tucker says voters are "fed up" after being promised big changes in 2019.
You can watch the full clip below, and read all of our Target Towns coverage here.
