Asked if the Conservatives should change anything at all after suffering the worst local election defeat in 40 years, Mark Harper replies that 'we have a plan and the plan is working'.

It's striking how little analysis there's been of what the local elections mean for [*checks notes*] local government: what all those mayors & councillors might do, or why it matters who runs the West Midlands.

I get the reasons why, but it's a real problem for 'local democracy'

This is obviously very funny, but it does not bode well for the future of the Conservative Party that the narrative from the right is going to essentially be ‘Sunak must own the mess we created’. Entirely possible Tories in opposition go the full UKIP.

My reflection on three days of election coverage is that journalists are more out of touch than politicians are

A third of voters don't want to choose either Labour or Tory

But journalists continue to analyse politics in terms of the two party straight jacket

January election remains underpriced

These elections have shown pro-environment parties and mayors who made net zero central to their campaigns made significant gains.

Reform have won 2 council seats out of 2500.

Time to recognise the net zero row back and kowtowing to an extreme fringe was a strategic disaster

Likewise… so much time spent analysing one single Uxbridge result re Ulez and then roll back if some net zero policies … (and some concerns at Labour HQ too) and within a year Khan actually instigates the policy and wins a record third term with a bigger majority…

Quite something to recall that autumn relaunch

Canned hs2 p2 against wishes of Andy Street, Conservative with the biggest personal mandate in the UK.

To replace with promised funding for local projects across English council areas…

- WM looks lost
- half council seats lost

So does the bounce to Khan in many boroughs mean the Westminster establishment credits it all to ULEZ and environment policies and pressures the prime minister to make positive environment policy announcements? Like they did the reverse with for Uxbridge?

This is a good day for everyone wanting strong policies on climate & nature, a very bad day for those who pose a conflict between environmental ambition conflicts & social & economic progress.

Astonishing that a hung parliament and Susan Hall mayoralty were taken seriously by a fair few people on here over the past 24 hours

My favourite three outcomes of these elections:

1: there has not been a successful anti ULEZ campaign. Would have been terrible for environmental policy, just as the Uxbridge result was (for both parties). Imagine what bad advice Sunak would be getting had Hall come close 1/

Khan’s decision to hold his nerve on ULEZ aged well: he attracted Green voters and only suffered a small electoral backlash.

London: Merton and Wandsworth result. Sadiq Khan first round lead over Shaun Bailey, 16943. Sadiq Khan first round lead over Susan Hall, 33749.