Suffolk Local Elections 2023: Green Party win control of Mid Suffolk Council in UK first
Votes have been counted across Suffolk after yesterday's Local Election.
Last updated 6th May 2023
The Green Party has won its first outright majority on a UK council, by taking control of Mid Suffolk District Council.
The party now hold 24 seats on the local authority, after doubling their number of councillors.
The Greens have also made gains in East Suffolk, adding 12 seats, meaning the council is now under No Overall Control.
Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said: "This paves the way for success in the general election next year in Waveney Valley.
"Greens have taken majority control of the main council in the area, as well as winning all four seats in the two East Suffolk wards in the constituency (Bungay and Halesworth)."
Elsewhere, Labour has increased its majority on Ipswich Borough Council and added 12 councillors in West Suffolk, meaning the Conservative no longer have a majority.
In Ipswich they now have 33 seats overall having taken one from the Conservatives, who are on 10 overall. The remaining seats are taken by the Lib Dems (3) and Independent councillors (2)
Babergh remains under no overall control.
Suffolk's results:
(All figures are for the number of councillors overall, not just for those elected in 2023)
Babergh District Council - NO OVERALL CONTROL
Green - 10 (+6)
Independents - 9 (+1)
Conservative - 7 (-8)
Liberal Democrats - 5 (+2)
Labour - 1 (-1)
East Suffolk Council - CONSERVATIVE LOSS TO NO OVERALL CONTROL
Green - 16 (+12)
Conservative - 15 (-24)
Labour - 12 (+5)
Liberal Democrats - 11 (+8)
Independents - 0 (-1)
Ipswich Borough Council - LABOUR HOLD
Labour - 33 (+1)
Conservative - 10 (-1)
Liberal Democrats - 3 (+0)
Independents - 2 (+0)
Turnout: 35.17% | Total votes cast: 32,120
Mid Suffolk Council - GREEN GAIN
Green - 24 (+12)
Conservative 6 (-10)
Liberal Democrats - 4 (-1)
Independents - 0 (-1)
West Suffolk Council - CONSERVATIVE LOSS TO NO OVERALL CONTROL
Conservative - 27 (-9)
Independents - 18 (-4)
Labour - 17 (+12)
Green - 1 (+0)
Liberal Democrats - (+1)
What's the picture nationally?
Sir Keir Starmer has celebrated "fantastic" council results as showing Labour is on course to win the next general election as Rishi Sunak remained defiant despite heavy losses.
The Labour leader told jubilant supporters they are progressing towards a majority in Westminster as initial local election results on Friday saw his party seize battlegrounds from the Tories.
The Liberal Democrats also made gains as the Tories lost control of nine councils across England after voters went to the polls on Thursday.
Labour snatched Medway off the Tories and will run the Kent council for the first time since 1998, with the outgoing Conservative council leader telling No 10 to "get their act together" on multiple fronts.
Mr Sunak vowed to push on with his agenda after reassuring staff in Conservative Campaign Headquarters, and insisted he is "not detecting any massive groundswell of movement towards the Labour Party or excitement for its agenda".
But the Tories will be concerned as the party suffered losses in the North, South and Midlands as the prospect of a general election in 2024 looms.