The Labour Party has suffered a crushing defeat at local elections in Bristol - losing eight of its 10 contested seats.
The Liberal Democrats claimed majority rule of Bristol City Council when they gained four seats - all from the Labour Party, which only managed to hold two of its contested seats.
The Conservatives fared well, also taking four seats from the battered Labour Party.
And Labour failed to win a single seat on the new Central Bedfordshire unitary authority, the second council to declare. As expected the Tories had a landslide victory.
A total of 23 seats were up for grabs at Bristol City Council, one of only four authorities in the UK to hold an overnight count.
When the final results came in for the Bishopston ward at 2.51am on Friday, the council make-up had significantly changed.
The total number of Liberal Democrat seats in the council now stands at 36, compared to 32 on Thursday morning when polls opened for voting in the city.
Labour seats dropped from 24 to 16, Conservatives increased their presence in the council from 13 to 17 seats and the Green Party - which had no contested seats in Thursday's elections - still hold one. This means the Labour Party drop to third place overall in the council; the Conservatives now have the second largest share.
Labour MP for Bristol South Dawn Primarolo was present at the Bristol Council House, where the count was co-ordinated. Despite the humiliating loss, the minister of state for public health remained defiant. She said: "Tonight is clearly disappointing, lots of good Labour councillors have lost their seats. It's undeniable that the voters are angry and it focused around the issues at Westminster and MPs expenses.
"But from speaking to people on the doorstep, as I have, it's quite clear that people are saying we've got a Prime Minister who's got strength, determination and intelligence and Gordon Brown will lead us out of this recession."
