Labour suffered its worst result at the ballot box for four decades on Friday after voters staged a mass local election protest against Gordon Brown’s government and the worsening economic situation.

UK Daily View: Bruising message to Labour

Philip Stephens analyses Labour’s defeat in the local elections in England and Wales

When all councils had been counted by early evening, Labour had lost 331 seats while the Conservatives had won 256 seats and gained target councils such as Nuneaton & Bedworth, Bury, Vale of Glamorgan and Southampton.