Latest results from the local elections

The Labour Party has won a majority in Crawley, with new council leader Peter Lamb becoming one of the youngest in the country at the age of 27.

The results are in for Cherwell District Council. Of 16 seats up for election, 12 are Conservative, three Labour and one Lib Dem. Conservative hold.

The Tories and Labour suffered today as voters turned to Ukip in the local elections, with the two largest parties in Westminster losing control of councils as a result of gains for Nigel Farage's "people's army".

Stunning results in southern councils appeared to indicate that Essex Man was increasingly voting Ukip and, in a worrying sign for Ed Miliband, the party also made inroads in Labour's northern heartlands.

Ukip gained 11 seats in Basildon to ensure it went from Tory to no overall control, and gains in Southend resulted in the loss of Conservative majority control in those authorities.

The Essex surge by Ukip also hit Labour, which lost control of Thurrock .

Education Secretary Michael Gove has said that the message coming from the electorate and the numbers of people voting for Ukip is "loud and clear".

The Tory minister said: "A number of people have voted for Ukip in order to send a very clear message.

"They want to make sure that Government delivers on the policies of controlling immigration, making sure that we reform our welfare state, making sure that we get a proper referendum in Europe. The instructions from the electorate are loud and clear."

Read: Ukip gains in local elections at expense of Tories and Labour

The Conservatives have held Fareham, Gosport and Havant. In Purbeck the Tories lost overall control. Southampton was a hold for Labour.