Tories win county after 28 years

The Labour Party has lost control of Derbyshire County Council after 28 years, losing 16 seats, as voters deserted the party.

The Conservatives secured 33 seats, more than doubling their size on the council while Labour, which previously had 37 seats, only won 21.

As the count progressed, the Liberal Democrats secured eight seats.

The former Labour stronghold fell to the Tories who picked up 19 seats in the election.

'Westminster sleaze'

Tory members and activists cheered as the party's crucial 33rd seat win flashed up on an electronic screen at County Hall in Matlock.

Conservative council leader Andrew Lewer said the result showed the Labour Party was in "terminal decline".

I can now say, for the first time in 28 years, 'Welcome to Conservative Derbyshire'

Conservative council leader Andrew Lewer

He told the BBC: "When it got right down to the wire there and the last few results came in, it all got very quiet, everybody was very nervous.

"We were wondering whether it was still going to be hung and then those last two results came in... and delivered the result for Derbyshire.

"And I can now say, for the first time in 28 years, 'Welcome to Conservative Derbyshire'."

John Williams, who had been the Labour leader since 2001, said: "I thought our policies were good enough to have got the Labour-controlled authority back in.

"But unfortunately, national issues took over from us, and I'm afraid the sleaze down in Westminster with the Labour cabinet members and things, that's what the people focused on and that's why we've lost."