Local elections live: PM told to 'wake up and smell the coffee' after elections - as critic calls for Johnson's return (2024)

Some 255 people crossed the Channel in small boats yesterday, according to the government - in five boats.

But the Home Office has now added more data to the chart they publish - including "migrants prevented" and "events prevented".

Yesterday, the Home Office says 104 people were stopped in six events.

According to the government, this equates to "individuals who are prevented from departing France, or those who return to France", and also "finds of general maritime equipment".

This information comes from a "snapshot" from the French authorities, and has not been verified - with the Home Office saying it is "inherently likely to be subject to a relatively high degree of measurement error".

The department also states that arrivals and preventions are not comparable.

Speaking to Trevor Phillips this morning, Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the government's plan is "to stick to focusing on the priorities that the prime minister set out, which are the government's priorities, the Prime Minister's priorities but they're also the priorities of the British people".

But the Liberal Democrats say the Conservatives are in "complete denial".

The party's deputy leader, Daisy Cooper, said: "Mark Harper's claim that their 'plan' is working shows the Conservatives are living in cloud cuckoo land.

"Voters across the country turned to the Liberal Democrats in these local elections as we beat the Conservatives and pushed them into third place.

"Rishi Sunak needs to stop running scared of the British people and call a general election. Every day he clings on to power just does more damage to the NHS and people's living standards."

Robert Largan is the MP for High Peak, in Derbyshire, and falls under the boundaries of freshly minted Labour mayor for the East Midlands Claire Ward.

He is also under the Labour police and crime commissioner Nicolle Ndiweni.

Posting on social media, Mr Largan says: "Congratulations to Claire Ward, the new East Midlands Mayor, and to Nicolle Ndiweni, the new Derbyshire Police & Crime Commissioner.

"I sincerely wish them both the best of luck in their roles. I will do my best to work with them, on a cross-party basis, to deliver for Derbyshire."

Now the dust has settled from the local elections, it's worth reminding ourselves of what the national polling says.

Bear in mind, this takes into account what is going on in Scotland, and is based on how people think they will vote at a general election.

Labour sit 20.5 points above the Conservatives - with 43.5% compared to 23%.

In third place is Reform UK with 12.4%, followed by the Lib Dems with 9.5%.

It is then the Greens with 5.8%, and 2.8% for the SNP.

It is worth nothing that the SNP is in second place behind Labour in just Scotland - although only just.

After Andy Street's defenestration last night, it's worth explaining what the West Midlands metro mayor is responsible for.

He has been replaced by Labour'sRichard Parker.

According to the West Midlands Combined Authority website, the mayor is responsible for economic growth, improving transport, improving housing, tackling unemployment and homelessness, improving air quality and improving the relationships between different parts of the community.

But he is not the police and crime commissioner, as Sadiq Khan is in London and Andy Burnham is in Manchester.

Speaking on Sky's Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Labour MP Jess Phillips - who represents a seat in the West Midlands - says even she doesn't really know what the mayor does.

"You know, on a scale in Birmingham, I'm probably top 10 of politically engaged people in Birmingham. I do not know what Andy Street does," Jess said before the election.

"Like our mayor controls the buses badly…we have our own police and crime commissioner as well. They don't even control that.It's so nothingy."

You can listen to the full podcast below.

By Jennifer Scott, political reporter

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has insisted Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives still have "everything to fight for", despite their terrible results in this week's local elections.

The party lost 473 councillors across the country after Thursday's vote, as well as high-profile mayoral races - seeing the West Midlands mayor Andy Street booted out by Labour in a tightly fought contest.

Yet Mr Harper insisted the best response for the Tories was to support the prime minister and prepare for the general election, which is expected later this year.

Talking to Sky News' Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, the minister said: "It is always incredibly disappointing when you lose hardworking councillors, police and crime commissioners and fantastic mayors like Andy Street… it was a testament to him that that result was so close… so I can understand people being disappointed by that.

"But I think the key thing that people need to do now is get behind the prime minister, focus on the things the government is focused on delivering - the British people's priorities around the economy, dealing with migration - and get out there and take that fight to the country ahead of the general election."

Read the full story below.

Thank you for joining us to hear from ministers and opposition following the local election.

Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips has finished for another week - but stay with us today as we continue to report on the fallout of the voting.

Away from the local elections for now, and Jean Philip de Tender, from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), is speaking toTrevor Phillipsabout the politics of Eurovision.

He is asked why Russia and Belarus are not allowed to take part due to the war in Ukraine, but Israel is despite condemnation of the conflict in Gaza.

Mr de Tender says the group understands people's concerns, but Eurovision is organised by broadcasting companies - like the UK's BBC - and not governments.

Israel's broadcaster has met all the obligations and so is allowed to compete, he says, which is not the situation in Russia.

Asked what happens if Israel wins, Mr de Tender says the group will make decisions based on the results of the competition.

Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who was a close ally to Boris Johnson, publicly called for Rishi Sunak to resign several months ago.

But Dame Andrea, the Tory MP for Morley and Outwood, admits Mr Sunak "is not going anywhere".

She says, instead, that the government has to "take the fight to Labour" - and implement common sense conservatism, prioritising issues like illegal immigration and "free speech".

Dame Andrea adds she wants to see Mr Johnson back in "frontline politics - whether that's going for a seat in the next election or "being front and centre of our election campaign".

Asked if the PM is likely to take her advice, Dame Andrea says he is "staring down the barrel of the gun" and does need to listen.

John Swinney, who is odds on to be the next SNP leader, tellsTrevor Phillipsa Labour government is "preferable" to a Conservative one.

This comes after Labour's Pat McFadden earlier ruled out any deal with the nationalist party if Sir Keir Starmer falls short of a majority at the next general election.

Currently, Labour is ahead of the SNP - just - in the opinion polls in Scotland, and the nation will be a key battleground when the whole of the UK goes to the polls later this year.