Conservative Tim Bowles has beaten Labour’s Lesley Mansell in the first combined authority mayor race, in the West of England, as Conservatives made strong gains in local elections throughout the UK.
Bowles took 51.6% of the vote in the race for the new metro mayor position, which will cover Bristol, South Glocestershire, Bath and North East Somerset.
None of the other combined authority races, which include the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, have been declared as of 13.00.
Greater Manchester is expected to be a safe win for Labour candidate Andy Burnham, but it could be a closer race than some think, elections expert John Curtice of Strathclyde University told EG earlier this week [http://www.egi.co.uk/news/will-the-general-election-derail-metro-ambitions/].
The West Midlands is likely to be a close competition between Labour and Conservatives.
Early local election results show Conservatives have won 582 seats, a net gain of 165, while Labour have won 423, a net loss of 127.
Liberal Democrats have lost 24 seats, winning 153, and UKIP has lost all of the 42 seats it held previously.
Some authorities, including those in Scotland, began counting votes this morning, and those results are expected throughout the day.
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