and tens of thousands of madonna fans are set to crowd rio�*s copacabana beach in brazil ahead of a free concert by the us pop star. hello. i'm azadeh moshiri. we are going to go straight to my colleague in birmingham where she is right now. i colleague in birmingham where she is riaht now. ., colleague in birmingham where she is riaht now. . , ., . ., right now. i have been watching all da the right now. i have been watching all day the count _ right now. i have been watching all day the count of _ right now. i have been watching all day the count of the _ right now. i have been watching all day the count of the mayoral- day the count of the mayoral election in the west midlands, and we are hearing, breaking news, sources in the labour party say that they have won the mayoral election in the west midlands, and i must stress that that is just coming from labour sources. you can see crowds

gathered behind me here, and we are waiting at this convention centre in birmingham for the official final declaration, so at the moment all we know is that labour sources are saying that they have won. if that is the case, that would be a huge coup for the party and for sir keir starmer, the incumbent conservative mayor andy street is still hoping, it has been hoping for a third term here, and it was very fought race, and throughout the day, both party's sources have been telling me that they believed it was a knife edge, they believed it was a knife edge, the result here. but as we are hearing from the labour party now, they believe they have pulled it off, and richard parker, their candidate, has won. i was down on the floor five minutes ago, richard parker was down there as were other members of the labour party, jess phillips mp as well. they had all just go down on the floor, we didn't really know why, but they all seemed fairly positive. could that have been the first sign before we heard from the labour party themselves

that they believe that they have won it. but i guess we will only know when we actually hear that result being announced finally on the stage behind me. there are seven local authority areas that have been counting the different results, which make up the whole of the west midlands, and the one local authority area that we are still waiting on for those official results is sandwell. earlier in the day, there were some concerns over some of the votes in coventry, for example, so a recount was called there. we then got the results for coventry as well, and i will go through them. i have got my computer in front of me for whenever that result from sandwell drops, because we also get an electronic readout of the results. but if you go through birmingham here, the labour party got about 80,000 versus 66000 four andy st. in coventry it was 32,000 versus 23,000, in dudley, 2a,000 for

labour, 37,000 for the conservatives in solihull. the conservatives to better there, around 35,000 versus 11,000. walsall, 18,000 for the labour candidate, 24000 four andy st, and wolverhampton, 26,000, and 18,000 for the conservatives. so the last tally as we were awaiting sandwell was around 193,529 for the labour candidate, and 205,484 for the conservative. so what we are waiting on now is that final result. it has been a really hard fought campaign here, there has been a lot of issues at play, not least what has been happening in birmingham, which is obviously the major city in the west midlands. and that is that the west midlands. and that is that the council declared itself bankrupt not too long ago. council tax bills went through the roof for people here. it is a labour run authority.

and many conservatives including andy street so that that was an example of bad management by the labour party. labour said it was an example of the conservative government not funding properly local government. another issue of course was also the conflict in gaza. we had an independent candidate here in birmingham who basically ran on a platform just about gaza, and he won around 42,000 votes here, and really, many people say that he impacted that vote. we are waiting for the result now. it could be any moment now. we will come back to this as and when it happens, but this has been a very closely fought race, and we are hearing that labour are calling it for themselves. all right, rajini, we will come back to you when you have more on that,

because as you have been stressing there, these are labour sources who are claiming victory. let's cross to the newsroom and get some analysis of the results so far, what we do have confirmed, from our political correspondent nick eardley. can you tell us more?— tell us more? labour are saying it is done, tell us more? labour are saying it is done. they _ tell us more? labour are saying it is done, they are _ tell us more? labour are saying it is done, they are certain - tell us more? labour are saying it is done, they are certain they - tell us more? labour are saying it| is done, they are certain they have won the west midlands mayoral election. sources say this is done, they are absolutely calling it, and every race they have called today, they have got right, so my expectation is they are right, labour have won a big victory here in the west midlands. it would be a colossal moment actually in these local elections over the past couple of days, because i think it was widely expected around westminster, and a lot of people in the west midlands, that andy street would manage to hold on and that would be good news for the prime minister. if my senior labour sources are correct, and they have won that race, they have taken it, richard

parker has taken it from andy street, then that is a really big moment and it puts the pressure back on the prime minister. just to bring you up—to—date with the official tally we have at the moment, we have andy street on just over 205,000 votes, richard parker on 194,000 votes, richard parker on 194,000 votes, but i want to show you the area that is coming in. the one we have been talking about is this one, sandwell, and if you want a sense of how that votes, this is not the mayoral election, this is the local election, the council election, but look what happened on thursday. they also had a swing, they won five more seats than last time, the conservatives lost six. we can't be certain that that is what is going to happen, but what i am certain about is that people in labour hq who are plugged into the data they are getting from the west midlands are getting from the west midlands are calling this. they are saying they have won the west midlands may or election. bill they have won the west midlands may or election. �* w' ., ~ or election. all right, nick, thank ou for

or election. all right, nick, thank you for that- _ or election. all right, nick, thank you for that. we _ or election. all right, nick, thank you for that. we will— or election. all right, nick, thank you for that. we will go - or election. all right, nick, thank you for that. we will go back - or election. all right, nick, thank you for that. we will go back to l you for that. we will go back to rajini as soon as we have more information. she is in birmingham for us. there are also more updates from rajini and our colleague nick eardley on the website, on our app. that is a live shot in the west midlands result, and as you can see, thatis midlands result, and as you can see, that is an empty podium. it won't be empty for long, we are told we will hear more soon. for now, let's move on to the israel gaza war before that. efforts to secure a deal for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in gaza are intensifying. the head of the us�*s cia, william burns, is in cairo to help try to mediate a ceasefire deal between israel and hamas. hamas negotiators have also arrived in egypt for talks. and this is where things stand. foreign mediators have been waiting for a response from the group to an israeli proposal to halt the fighting for 40 days, and to exchange hostages, for palestinian prisoners. unconfirmed reports in us media say israel has given hamas one week to agree to the current proposal,

or it will begin its offensive in rafah — an offensive that benjamin netanyahu has been threatening despite criticism from allies. there has been widespread international concern over the fate of the more than one—million palestinians sheltering there. a hamas official has said the group is meeting egyptian and qatari mediators and listening to their proposals in full seriousness. but taher al—nono said the group was still holding to its key demands, including a permanent ceasefire and the right of all displaced gazans to return to their homes. those demands have been a major obstacle to israel agreeing a deal, while hamas has said the israeli government's insistence on mounting an operation in rafah, even if there is a ceasefire, stands in the way of its acceptance of a deal 0ur correspondent anna foster has this update from jerusalem. we're at that point in proceedings where through the afternoon i've been watching in the regional media various briefings, everything from saying that we are on the verge of an agreement of a framework

of an agreement, everything through to no, israel say they will not agree to a ceasefire that will permanently end the war. i think the key thing to remember at this point in time is this is the moment where we hear these various briefings, we hear different things from different sides, but until we get some sort of official word potentially from the egyptian mediators who are actually in charge of these talks in cairo, really all of that is just background noise. what we do know is that one of the key sticking point is that idea of a permanent ceasefire. we know that is a key part of what hamas is asking for out of this deal. the idea that they would be an eventual end to this war rather than just a temporary ceasefire while that exchange goes on. we know that israel equally say that without a ground offensive in rafah, which benjamin netanyahu, the israeli prime minister, has been talking about for months, they say they can't conclude their military operation, they can't deliver on that promise of fully removing hamas from gaza. in fact they are saying

in the last few days that even if there is a deal, that military operation will still go ahead. so at the moment there is a lot going on behind closed doors, a lot of rumour and speculation and conjecture. but in concrete terms, right now we are no further forward. that was alana foster. we want to return to our top story, because of course we do have the local elections here in england. we have been saying on the bbc that the results are too close to call for the west midlands, with conservative incumbent andy street hoping to hold on, but meanwhile labour sources have already claimed victory. let's see how that actually works. let's get some analysis with professor sirjohn curtice, political analyst and professor of politics at strathclyde university. he has been there all night, and all day. professor, thank you. how does that work? how is it that labour

have claimed victory already? could you walk us through that? we have claimed victory already? could you walk us through that?— you walk us through that? we have had the results _ you walk us through that? we have had the results for _ you walk us through that? we have had the results for all _ you walk us through that? we have had the results for all but - you walk us through that? we have had the results for all but one - you walk us through that? we have had the results for all but one of. had the results for all but one of the district already published, and we know from that that in order to win this contest, that in sandwell, which is the one that hasn't been declared, labour basically need to defeat the conservatives byjust over 11,000 votes. in sandwell three years ago when this was last fought over, labourwere years ago when this was last fought over, labour were around 5000 votes ahead in sandwell, so if they can narrow the remaining 6000 gap over the conservatives this time around, then they will win the contest, and to be honest, ourjudgment up here is also that given what we have seen in the pattern of results, that that target should be one that labour would just achieve, and i think therefore we are also, we frankly know will not be surprised if

labour's claim proves to be accurate. it is not a prediction, but certainly labour's claim certainly makes sense from our and, having looked at the data. find certainly makes sense from our and, having looked at the data.— having looked at the data. and if labour were _ having looked at the data. and if labour were to _ having looked at the data. and if labour were to win, _ having looked at the data. and if labour were to win, we - having looked at the data. and if labour were to win, we haven't i labour were to win, we haven't confirmed that at the bbc, if labour were to win, how big a victory is that for labour?— that for labour? honestly, the result that _ that for labour? honestly, the result that we _ that for labour? honestly, the result that we are _ that for labour? honestly, the result that we are about - that for labour? honestly, the result that we are about to - that for labour? honestly, the l result that we are about to hear that for labour? honestly, the - result that we are about to hear in the hopefully not too distant future in a sense will provide the big climactic end to 48 hours of election results. remember that this contest together with tees valley whether to contest on which the conservatives were banking on winning in order to dispel the electoral gloom that has undoubtedly encircled the party otherwise in these results throughout the last 48 our is. now, of course, tees valley, ben houchen held it and he deserves

all credit for it. but if indeed labour's claims are now expectation are right that andy street has now lost the west midlands, then downing street will be bitterly disappointed, and there is very little now for them to hang onto to be able to claim to tory mps that actually things are not quite so bad as the rest of the results have been painted. whether that restarts the rumours about moving against rishi sunak, that is not really in my field. we will have to see. and it will still be all credit to mr street that the result is as narrow as we expect it to be. after all, earlier this afternoon we heard that labour won the west midlands police and crime commissioner election, a parallel election, saying voters, same electorate, quite comfortably. so andy street will still have delivered his personal vote, yet perhaps it is not on this occasion been quite enough. 50

perhaps it is not on this occasion been quite enough.— perhaps it is not on this occasion been quite enough. so what does that mean in terms — been quite enough. so what does that mean in terms of _ been quite enough. so what does that mean in terms of the _ been quite enough. so what does that mean in terms of the usual— been quite enough. so what does that mean in terms of the usual power- mean in terms of the usual power there is in being an incumbent? i think to be honest, i think andy street can certainly claim that as an incumbent mayor he has indeed been able to acquire a personal vote, that he has been able to do better than his party in general, and to that extent, he will feel that his loss is hard luck. i think labour will point to the fact that they have won this despite the fact that an independent candidate who was standing very much on the gaza issue actually did rather well, he got 20% of the vote in birmingham, about 14% or so in wolverhampton. and so labour will point out that they have managed to win this contest, if they have done, even

though they did face the difficulty of an independent candidate who like not many other candidates in last 24 hours with a large muslim population have done rather well, and they have done so at labour�*s expense. john done so at iabour's expense. john curtice, done so at iabour's expense. john curtice. please — done so at iabour's expense. john curtice, please don't _ done so at labour's expense. john curtice, please don't go anywhere. i'm sure we will come back to you. now it's time for a look at today's sport with 0lly foster. thank you very much indeed. some breaking football news in the last 24—hour is. real madrid have won the spanish league title with four games left to play. that's after they beat cadiz 3—0 and barcelona lost away at girona. all real�*s goals came in the second half. brahim diaz scored their first and jude bellingham added a second just three minutes after coming off the bench and joselu scored their third. that is a 36th league title for real. barcelona were beating girona 2—1

midway through the second half as they looked to keep the title race going for at least another week, but lost 4—2 to their fellow catalans. girona move above barca into second and they have secured a place in the champion league next season, which will be the first time they have played european football. it's as you were at the top of the english premier league, with both arsenal and manchester city winning today. the gunners had an early kick—off, and beat bournemouth 3—0 at the emirates stadium. despite creating numerous chances they only led through a bukayo saka penalty at half—time. declan rice set up leandro trossard for a second before scoring himself deep into injury time. bournemouth were unhappy with a number of refereering decisions but for the leaders, that's four wins in a row now. quite emotional, because you are really hyper, and there are really difficult ones that you are waiting

for something that doesn't happen. but this is where we are. we are enjoying the race, and i want to continue to go and do our bit. that arsenal win put them four points clear at the top but only for a few hours, because city responded with a very comfortable 5—1win at home to wolves erling haaland scored four of their goals, completing his hatrick by half—time, that incuded two penalties. he is now up to 24 league goals for the season, he was unhappy at being substituted in the last ten minutes, denying him the chance of a fifth, which is the prmier league record. his replacementjuian alvarez did score their last goal though. but more importantly, city are stilljust a point behind arsenal with a game in hand. three other results in the premier league. bre ntford against fulham was goaless. burnley lost 4—1 at home to newcastle.

the clarets are now five points off safety with two to play so look all but down. that's after nottingham forest came from behind to beat bottom side sheffield united 3—1. they are now three points above the relegation zone. ipswich town will be back in the premier league next season. they secured promotion on the final day of the championship, beating huddersfield 2—0. theirjubilant fans invaded the pitch at fulltime at portman road. the win sees them finish second in the table behind champions leicester city. ipswich were last in the top division 22 years ago and this was their second promotion in a row after coming up from league one last season. kyren wilson is through to his second world snooker championship final after beating dave gilbert. he resumed their semifinal with a 14—10 lead, wilson clinched the three frames required to eventually win 17 frames to 11. wilson, who lost to ronnie 0'sullivan in 2020, will play eitherjakjones or stuart bingham in the final.

and these are live pictures from the crucible in sheffield where that other semifinal has resumed. they will play to a finish. jakjones was 13—10 up against bingham. bingham pulled a frame back, and they are still in the second frame of the evening session, 13—11. they have been playing very slowly indeed. it could be a very late finish. it is the first of 17. jones is looking to become the first qualifier in eight years to reach the final. you can follow that on the bbc sport website. we willjust have a look at this shot. and he has missed it. we jinxed it! cycling's first grand tour of the year, the giro d'italia, is under way. the opening stage finished in turin with ineos grenadiers ecuadorean riderjhonatan narvaez beating maximillian schachmann

and the race favourite tadej pogacar in a sprint finish. last year's runner up, great britain's geraint thomas, was tenth. and that's all the sport for now. i will be back with another update in the next hour. thank you, 0lly. as we have been reporting, the results in the west midlands are on a knife edge, and we are expecting them any time now. labour sources have already claimed victory. let's go to our newsroom at some point, nick eardley... apologies. i'm hearing that rajini vaidyanathan is there for us now in birmingham. good to have you, rajini what are you hearing there in birmingham? azadeh, it is also what we are seeing. behind me is the stage where we will soon hear the result of this west midlands a mayoral contest. we were down on the floor earlier and the labour candidate, richard parker, looked fairly chipper, and we could see him being hugged by other members of the party. i saw

another labour party member cheering as she took a video call, someone else was in tears. the party believes they have won this vote here, and that they now hold the mayoral seat here in the west midlands. at the moment, that is just what the party is saying, and we certainly see it when we see the mood amongst the supporters. half an hour or so we suddenly saw a huge swathe of people take two in front of the stage behind me. we went don't have a look, and it was a crowd of people from the labour party, including the mpjess phillips, who i spoke to earlier. so i think it is all but certain that labour have taken their seat. that will of course be a huge for the conservative party, not least for the candidate andy street, who has held the seat here for two terms. he was running on his personal brand, almost distanced himself from the national party in his campaign literature, and his speeches, and was running on brand andy, but if

the results are as we are expecting, than that is his political career certainly at the moment on ice. all certainly at the moment on ice. all right, rajini, thank you. i do believe we now have comms with my colleague nick eardley who is in the newsroom and has been monitoring the results for us throughout the day and night. nick, they were hoping, the conservatives were hoping that this would be a silver lining. we still don't have the official results of course, but your reaction to all this? let results of course, but your reaction to all this?— to all this? let me quickly bring ou a bit to all this? let me quickly bring you a bit more _ to all this? let me quickly bring you a bit more intel. _ to all this? let me quickly bring you a bit more intel. labour- to all this? let me quickly bring you a bit more intel. labour are confident— you a bit more intel. labour are confident they have won, but my sources — confident they have won, but my sources in— confident they have won, but my sources in the labour party are saying — sources in the labour party are saying that they think they have won lry saying that they think they have won by around _ saying that they think they have won by around 1000 votes. that is a tiny margin _ by around 1000 votes. that is a tiny margin it _ by around 1000 votes. that is a tiny margin it is— by around 1000 votes. that is a tiny margin. it is really, really small. remember— margin. it is really, really small. remember when margin. it is really, really small. rememberwhen we were margin. it is really, really small. remember when we were having recounts — remember when we were having recounts early and coventry, we thought — recounts early and coventry, we thought there were about 2000 votes in it. thought there were about 2000 votes in it now— thought there were about 2000 votes in it. now senior people in the labour— in it. now senior people in the labour party are saying they have won, _ labour party are saying they have won but — labour party are saying they have won, but only by 1000 votes or so. thabs— won, but only by 1000 votes or so. that's a _ won, but only by 1000 votes or so. that's a sense i think of how thin

some _ that's a sense i think of how thin some of— that's a sense i think of how thin some of the margins are when it comes— some of the margins are when it comes to — some of the margins are when it comes to these big moments in local elections _ comes to these big moments in local elections. but i think this is going to be _ elections. but i think this is going to be the — elections. but i think this is going to be the biggest moment of these local elections. forthe local elections. for the conservatives to local elections. forthe conservatives to lose the west midlands is a big deal, and this is why _ midlands is a big deal, and this is why the — midlands is a big deal, and this is why. the tories were hoping that it was going — why. the tories were hoping that it was going to be a silver lining, that— was going to be a silver lining, that amidst all the dark clouds, it was a _ that amidst all the dark clouds, it was a chance for rishi sunak to say if you _ was a chance for rishi sunak to say if you look— was a chance for rishi sunak to say if you look at — was a chance for rishi sunak to say if you look at the west midlands, you look— if you look at the west midlands, you look at tees valley, there are some _ you look at tees valley, there are some good — you look at tees valley, there are some good results. losing the west midlands _ some good results. losing the west midlands removes that for rishi sunak's— midlands removes that for rishi sunak's response, and i think it will make — sunak's response, and i think it will make conservative mps even more nervous _ will make conservative mps even more nervous. that doesn't necessarily mean _ nervous. that doesn't necessarily mean that— nervous. that doesn't necessarily mean that they start to move against the prime _ mean that they start to move against the prime minister, but i think it will give — the prime minister, but i think it will give even more of them pause for thought, will give even more of them pause forthought, given will give even more of them pause for thought, given that andy street was quite _ for thought, given that andy street was quite popular, we think, locally, _ was quite popular, we think, locally, given that this was a race that some — locally, given that this was a race that some were hoping that they would _ that some were hoping that they would win. we are waiting for the official— would win. we are waiting for the official result from sandwell, but labour _ official result from sandwell, but labour are absolutely certain they have won — labour are absolutely certain they have won i— labour are absolutely certain they have won. ijust want to show you

sand _ have won. ijust want to show you sand well, — have won. ijust want to show you sand well, just to give you a bit of contest _ sand well, just to give you a bit of contest to— sand well, just to give you a bit of contest to what is happening. this isn't the _ contest to what is happening. this isn't the local mayoral race, these are the _ isn't the local mayoral race, these are the local elections, and it is pretty— are the local elections, and it is pretty convincing, right? what changed — pretty convincing, right? what changed on thursday was that labour won more _ changed on thursday was that labour won more seats and the conservatives lost. won more seats and the conservatives lost~ this _ won more seats and the conservatives lost. this doesn't directly translate, but i think it is useful to give — translate, but i think it is useful to give us— translate, but i think it is useful to give us a _ translate, but i think it is useful to give us a sense of what the mood was like _ to give us a sense of what the mood was like there on thursday. and those _ was like there on thursday. and those conservative mps who are now looking _ those conservative mps who are now looking at _ those conservative mps who are now looking at the result in the west midlands — looking at the result in the west midlands and thinking, this is bad, and there — midlands and thinking, this is bad, and there are labour front bench already— and there are labour front bench already tweeting about their victory, _ already tweeting about their victory, by the way, so they must be extraordinarily confident. this is also going — extraordinarily confident. this is also going to make tory mps worried. this is— also going to make tory mps worried. this is almost the final scores on the doors, — this is almost the final scores on the doors, you can see labour are up 135, look— the doors, you can see labour are up 135, look at — the doors, you can see labour are up 135, look at this from the conservatives, they lost 473 councillors, roughlyjust under half of what _ councillors, roughlyjust under half of what they were defending on thursday. all of what they were defending on thursda . �* . ~ of what they were defending on thursda . �* f’ , ", thursday. all right, nick, stay ri . ht thursday. all right, nick, stay right there- — thursday. all right, nick, stay right there. we're _ thursday. all right, nick, stay right there. we're just - thursday. all right, nick, stay right there. we're just going l thursday. all right, nick, stay|

right there. we're just going to thursday. all right, nick, stay - right there. we're just going to say goodbye to our world audiences, but please do stay with us, because there is more coming on bbc news here on the uk feed we will consider continue covering these local elections. that result in the west midlands is due any moment now, with labour sources already claiming victory, and our colleague nick eardley hearing that it is a razor—thin result. you're watching bbc news. please stay with us. now, let's continue speaking to some of our correspondence for analysis on this razor—thin margin that we are hearing right now, and again we are hearing right now, and again we are waiting for that result from the west midlands, with labour sources already claiming victory. let's go back to our colleague rajini vaidyanathan, who is in birmingham for us, and has been monitoring

events there, and rajini, you were telling us that labour is already celebrating some of this and you are already seeing some reaction there? i wouldn't say it is necessarily a celebration, but there is certainly a gathering of supporters behind me from the party around the stage in anticipation, and they certainly look very chipper. i have seen some people hugging the labour mayoral candidate, and expected winner, richard parker. i have also heard some people cheering, but i wouldn't say it is a broad celebration just yet until it is official. and even we saw one person crying. so there is definitely emotion here, and that is definitely emotion here, and that is because as nick was saying this is because as nick was saying this is one of the most, if not the most significant result from these recent elections, and that is because it really was a tough mountain for labour to really was a tough mountain for labourto climb, really was a tough mountain for labour to climb, andy street a hugely popular mayor here had served

two consecutive terms. he had distanced himself from the national party, as i have been saying, didn't really see the conservative logo or colours in much of his campaign literature, but he was relying on his own personal brand, brand andy, and often with his mayoral elections, what you find as they don't always go with the national trend, because it is all about personality as well, figureheads. the mayor of the west midlands as the figurehead, the face of the region. and i think it really was all the way through considered to be all the way through considered to be a very close race. if what nick is saying is correct, then the margin really was wafer thin, but there is another thing that came into play here, azadeh ,, that was the independent candidate, akhmed yakoob, who stood on the platform of gaza, a relative unknown but he managed to get 42,000 votes in the birmingham local authority, part of the count, the seven local authorities that make up the overall

result, birmingham being one of them, that is where i am speaking from, and it is the major city here. and that it quite striking, and i spoke to labour'sjess phillips earlier who really felt that sir keir starmer�*s position on gaza after the war began, his refusal to immediately call for a ceasefire back then, may have cost them votes in this race, and it may have been the case when you look at that 42,000 that akhmed yakoob got. whether they were labour voters who moved across or new voters who voted for him, either way that is a big chunk of votes, despite that, it looks like labour have managed to do it here. so a real kind of stunning victory, the party would say, if indeed it is confirmed, and it looks likely of course that that is the case, azadeh. all right, rajini, and it looks like there is some reaction from labour, these results again are not confirmed, but labour sources are claiming victory in one of them is ellie reeves, the deputy campaign

strategist, who has congratulated richard parker on x, formerly known as twitter, but again, those results are yet to be officially declared. she said people across the country have voted for change, the message is clear and it is time to get in a labour government to get our country's future back. let's discuss this more with sirjohn curtice who is still here fortunately to break it all down for us. could you tell us, they are claiming here that it is a significant victory, but my colleague nick eardley has been saying that sources tell him it was just 1000 votes, they may have won this race by as little as 1000 votes. what is your reaction to that? there are two reactions one could have. the first is it is an

important lesson that in politics victories everything and narrow defeat is rapidly forgotten. and however the size of the margin of loss for the conservatives, this is politically therefore a very considerable blow because at the end of the day, as it were, the significance of this contest, the political significance of this contest has effectively been determined by the conservative party and its determination to try to focus our attention on the resulting —— result in tees valley are the result in the west midlands in the belief that they would be able to win those two and therefore we would not spend as much time looking at the rather poor results that occurred pretty much everywhere, as we have seen for the conservatives in london as well. politically, the strategy has only proven to be half baked, they managed to win the tees valley but it now seems they have

lost the west midlands.