Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said he was "really sad" at his party's election results after a bruising night for the coalition.
Labour has racked up big gains at the expense of the Tories and Clegg's party in English council contests.
But Clegg insisted his party would "continue to play our role" in Government dealing with the economic crisis.
Speaking outside his London home he said: "I am really sad that so many colleagues and friends, Liberal Democrat councillors, who have worked so hard, so tirelessly for so many years for communities and families in their local areas have lost their seats and I want to pay tribute to all the great work they have done.
"I am determined that we will continue to play our role in rescuing, repairing and reforming the British economy.
"It's not an easy job and it can't be done overnight but our duty is to boost jobs and investment and to restore a sense of hope and optimism to our country."
With the potential for further blows for the Liberal Democrats in Scottish local elections and the London mayoral contests, Clegg said the coalition was in a "difficult mid-term period".
He said: "If you look at the results overnight, the ones that have come in, Labour has clearly had a good night.
"The task for Labour and the question for Labour, frankly, is to move beyond winning votes against two coalition parties who are in government, taking difficult decisions at a difficult mid-term period of this Government, to actually providing answers and solutions to the challenges and dilemmas that we face as a country.
"I believe that over time people will come to acknowledge our unique role, the Liberal Democrats, in this Government as the only party in British politics that combines responsibility on the economy with social fairness."
So over 41 hours after polls opened on Thursday morning, Boris Johnson is mayor of London and we can all go to bed to dream analytical dreams about what the results mean for the country.
Probable ETA of a declaration is about an hour, hopefully less (please)
London Elects statement:
We have results in from 13 of the 14 constituencies in the Mayor of London and London Assembly election. The final constituency is Brent & Harrow. The Greater London Returning Officer has been in touch with the CRO for Brent & Harrow to establish the reason for a delay. All batches of ballot papers were registered and scanned. Two batches went to storage without some ballot papers being manually entered as required. Manual entry is required when a scanner cannot read a ballot paper – for example if a ballot paper is damaged. It is not an issue with the scanners. The issue was identified during the verification stage. These two batches are being re-processed. To make this happen as quickly as possible we have separated out into several smaller batches. This is why the progress screens appear to show a changing number of verified ballot papers.We will declare as soon as possible but it is obviously important that every vote is counted.
Well we don't entirely know. The latest is that at least two ballot boxes were found unscanned at the Brent count, and they're now being counted by hand, for some reason.
There are rumours that Ken's team has asked for a full recount in Brent, which would delay things for another few hours.
London elects thinks it'll be only another 20 mins, but they've been saying that for nearly two hours.
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| @ tnewtondunn : The Sun's pollster Peter Kellner of YouGov calls it - "Boris has won. He has too big a lead for Ken to overturn". |
It's leading to a sharp narrowing in the polls between the two candidates. On 1st preference votes Boris now has 44% and Ken 40% - 8 out of 14 constituencies have now declared.
Here's the latest.
People are talking about 50/50 odds between Ken and Boris. The atmosphere at City Hall has changed dramatically in the past half hour.
Ed Miliband, speaking in Southampton, has declared that Labour is "coming back".
This comes after Labour took control of Southampton from the Conservatives.
He railed against the "out of touch government in Westminster".
"David Cameron promised change, not for the better but for the worse. Today in Southampton, it is a rejection of the economic failure of this government, and the unfairness of this government". he added
He also boasted that Labour is "beating back" the SNP in Scotland.
He recognised the low turnouts, saying it showed there was "still more to do".
Conservative MP Peter Bone has said that the PM has 'one hand tied behind his back'.
"Worst of all, we've got the Liberals holding us back" he added
The results signified the "beginning of the end of the coalition", he told the BBC.
"We're seeing Boris winning as a Conservative in London, yet the Coalition losing against Labour. So the message must be let's come out of this coalition as soon as possible." he said
Liam Byrne, who quit the Shadow Cabinet in preparation for running for Birmingham Mayor, has just tweeted this
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| @ LiamByrneMP : A huge thanks to ALL who supported Yes2Mayor, Albert and me: our job now is to get 4-square behind our brilliant new Lbr council #brummayor |
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| @ SmithTonyD : Brum result: Leader 120,611, Mayor 88,085. 57.8 Per cent "no" #BrumVote12 |
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| @ oflynnexpress : Brum votes No to a Mayor. Has anyone noticed people like voting No in refs? No2EU |
With 56 of 79 seats declared, Labour currently lead over the SNP by 29 to 20.
Barring a major upset, Labour will resist the SNP advance in Glasgow.
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| @ suemacmillan : Labour holding its majority in Glasgow is a whopper of a result. Well done @scottishlabour |
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| @ JenWilliamsMEN : Ian Stewart is mayor of Salford. |
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| @ baddogOTM : Labour win CHIPPING NORTON! David Cameron, Rebekah Brooks, Elisabeth Murdoch, Steve Hilton + Jeremy Clarkson now have a LABOUR council. |
With 166 of 181 councils declared, Labour have gained more than 700 council seats.
Former Libdem leader Paddy Ashdown has said the Liberal Democrats should "keep on doing" what it is doing.
Speaking to the BBC, Lord Ashdown said the party's mettle has been "tested" by the results.
"The party's mettle has been tested, it has been tested before. We should keep on doing what we're doing" he said
"It doesn't look as bad in terms of hanging onto our seats that we have got as it might have been." he added.
According to the Guardian, Ken Livingstone's team are privately conceding defeat.
They reportedly also think Boris Johnson will increase his majority.
A council candidate dressed as a penguin called Professor Pongoo has received more votes than the Liberal Democrats in Edinburgh.
Professor Pongoo (real name Mike Ferrigan) was an independent candidate who had pledged to wear the penguin outfit to every council meeting if he was elected.
From the votes counted so far, Labour are on 44%, Conservatives are on 33% and the Greens are on 8%.
The LibDems dwell at 7% while Ukip are on 5%.
Harman castigated Watson for his "hold your nose and vote for Ken" comment - and was a bit hesitant to agree that Ken had been the right candidate in the first place...we thought.
Clearly annoyed, Farage has arrived at City Hall and says that the ballot paper fail was UKIP's fault, not London Elects. But he's blaming it on UKIP's poor performance. They're currently trailing in 6th place behind Siobhan Benita
Ukip leader Nigel Farage is reportedly furious that his party's candidate for Mayor of London, Lawrence Webb, was listed on the ballot paper as Fresh Choice for London.
He says it was a 'cockup which undoubtedly cost UKIP votes' and could have helped Boris Johnson's bid for four more years at City Hall.
Also here is a round-up from HuffPost of Tory dissent following the local elections drubbing. A few themes emerge. Many Tories think House of Lords reform is a distraction - a couple but don't like gay marriage, but the overwhelming narrative is there needs to be a growth strategy.
In an update to previous news about the BNP's difficulties, it has emerged that the party has lost every single one of the 12 seats it has been defending.
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| @ Kevin_Maguire : Looks like Labour will win London but lose the Mayoralty, getting most votes/seats in the Assembly but Blue Boris beats Red Ken |
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| @ StewartHosieMP : 16 out of 16 #SNP win outright control of Dundee |
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gregknightmp
Timothy Kirkhope MEP confirmed as No 1 on the Conservative slate for Yorks and Humber seat in 2014 Euro elections. He deserves it.
10 hours ago from Twitterrific
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| mwhanna1 Latest SCC rejection of electoral law testament to Shoura Council incompetence+intransigence. Egypt might be looking at elections in 2014. | ||
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Bassem_Sabry
More details here RT @ahramonline: Egypt's HCC deems four articles of parliamentary elections law unconstitutional http://t.co/UvrYfCIsXz
13 hours ago from YoruFukurou
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EgyIndependent
Laws on parliamentary elections and political rights ruled unconstitutional http://t.co/Vdq3pKNQ5k
14 hours ago from dlvr.it
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JohnRentoul
Opposition leaders' opinion-poll ratings, 2 years before elections http://t.co/PRIc7B1EUE (NB Kinnock '90 is before Thatcher's fall)
15 hours ago from web
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DailyNewsEgypt
Breaking:Supreme Constitutional Court deems 4 articles of parliamentarian elections law / 9 of political participation law unconstitutional
16 hours ago from web
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| demsoc Re last RT from @sussexlrc - interesting point, but would annual elections mean different type of local politics or more of the same? | ||
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UnaDispatch
Voter registration for Afghanistan's 2014 presidential and provincial council elections kicks off tomorrow. Here's hoping it's peaceful.
20 hours ago from TweetDeck
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KenRoth
Serious electoral flaws & repression undermine any real prospect of free & fair #Iran elections on June 14: @HRW. http://t.co/Gls8r1QNLC
21 hours ago from SocialFlow
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| ASLANmedia RT @hadinili: Follow "the funny and (not) very surprising parts" of #Iran presidential elections w/@parissasaranj http://t.co/A5Up621aK8 | ||
| Seldemerdash @Bassem_Sabry adding on the elections law is that the districting is designed to give better position to the Islamists. | ||
| thenation Public financing of elections is not about drafting citizens to endorse particular politicians. http://t.co/Gk43PEiVof | ||
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DowntownNews
Which member of the LA City Council got every endorsement wrong in Tuesday's elections? Answer at the bottom here: http://t.co/4de9j1IbF3
1 day ago from web
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aradwanski
A problem with Ontario horse-race polls btwn elections: hard to tell how much they're actually about Ontario, as opposed to federal.
1 day ago from web
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MJayRosenberg
Rumor: Instead of running in the next elections, Netanyahu will replace Peres as president http://t.co/PU2R9fr8yU via @972mag
1 day ago from Tweet Button
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JohnRentoul
Must post one day on best & worst govt terms, divided by elections or changes of PM: 1987-90 wd be one of the worst http://t.co/6yVIdN0JTw
1 day ago from web
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ddayen
@DKElections she's replacing Ann Northup. Isn't this just the R seat on the Commission?
1 day ago from web
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Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Kerry casts doubt on the credibility of Iranian elections set for June 14 http://t.co/cIqs29K5Es
2 days ago from TweetDeck
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CPHeinze
9 interesting things about the past 36 years of presidential elections. http://t.co/V5oB0W5TmJ
2 days ago from web
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BlogsofWar
Candidates submit candidacy requests for elections under 1960 law http://t.co/NVRCHDMUij
2 days ago from HootSuite
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BlogsofWar
Lebanese cabinet set to speed up elections preparations http://t.co/4X4AAGKXe3
2 days ago from HootSuite
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CFR_org
MT @robertdanin: The Middle East This Week- #Syrian PreNegotiations, Elections in #Iran, #Jordan #Egypt #Libya & More http://t.co/yLHbLKvNXp
2 days ago from HootSuite
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RightWingWatch
#NotTheOnion: Todd Akin (in WorldNetDaily) teaches Republicans how to win elections http://t.co/ulWAVLQwcC
2 days ago from web
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ReutersIndia
IOC sets September 1 deadline for India to hold elections http://t.co/7Szp76MCBM
2 days ago from Tweet Button
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RightWingWatch
Todd Akin lectures Republicans on how to win elections, seriously http://t.co/ulWAVLQwcC
2 days ago from web
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POMEDwire
Amb.Limbert: If #Iran elections are "good enough," Obama should congratulate winner. #Iran #POMED
2 days ago from TweetDeck
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POMEDwire
McInerney: Upcoming elections in #Iran are far from free and fair but still extremely important. #POMED
2 days ago from TweetDeck
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| HugoSwire Welcome registration of 3 political parties in Fiji. Authorities must ensure parties can operate freely in run up to elections. | ||
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JohnCook1964
Read Lewis Baston's analysis of 2013 elections published by @thefabians. @ipswichlabour listed amongst the "best" http://t.co/JA3qsMh9GM
2 days ago from TweetDeck
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BlogsofWar
MTV: FPM leader MP Michel Aoun presented his candidacy for elections at Interior Ministry http://t.co/mexNLb2FCZ
2 days ago from HootSuite
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ReutersIndia
All-NBA Team: LeBron James and Kobe Bryant headline selections http://t.co/8YPdyPEejA
2 days ago from Tweet Button
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PA/The Huffington Post | Posted: 04/05/2012 08:57 Updated: 04/05/2012 09:07