ELECTION RESULTS GIVE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS REASON FOR REAL SATISFACTION - HUGHES

7.17.47pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 9th May 2006

Simon Hughes speaks to Parliamentary staff about the recent election results

Party President Simon Hughes MP has welcomed the results of the local elections as a further sign that the Liberal Democrats are making progress in all areas of Britain. The final results saw the Tories with a net gain of 316 councillors and Labour with a net loss of 319. It is unfortunate that we made no progress in Congleton but nationally the Liberal Democrats had a net gain of two councillors and one additional council. The sixth term won by the Lib Dems in Sutton is a record for the party.

Simon said:

"We now have more councillors in Britain than at any time in our history except the last three years of the last Conservative government. We made gains in 53 councils, and in all parts of England. And last week we were second in the popular share of the local government vote for only the second time in our history. Labour have their lowest number of councillors ever. The Conservatives have done well, but still have fewer councillors than in any of the years between 1976 and 1990. We are going forward, we are making progress, and we are more and more important political players across the whole of Britain."