Karl Mercer
BBC London political editor

So the comfortable red blanket that cloaked London's councils is no more. The capital, which last night had 21 of is 32 boroughs run by Labour looks very different tonight.

For the first time, the capital got a directly elected Green mayor when Zoë Garbett won the former Labour stronghold of Hackney.

Hours later another one, as former Labour councillor Liam Shivastava became Lewisham's Green mayor.

And for the first time the Greens won a council in London, and took Waltham Forest from Labour before later taking Hackney.

For the first time the capital has a Reform UK council, with Nigel Farage announcing that Havering was "under new management".

Image source, Getty Images

There are more splashes of blue on the map too, with the Conservatives taking back control of Westminster, which they lost to Labour in 2022.

They became the largest party in Wandsworth, depriving Labour of the control the party won four years ago and the Tories held off a Reform challenge in Bexley and Bromley.

"I'm very proud of how we have done," said leader Kemi Badenoch.

It is not a pretty picture for Labour. While they may not have lost as high a percentage of their councillors as they did in the rest of the country, Thursday's results in the capital can't be glossed over.

Half the party's membership are in the capital - one in seven of its MPs are here - London has 6m people eligible to vote. The prime minister called it a "tough" night. That's putting it mildly.

The Conservatives have retained control of Harrow Council with a strengthened majority, winning 42 of the borough’s 55 seats. The party gained 11 seats, putting it comfortably above the 28 needed for overall control.

Labour suffered losses, falling to 12 councillors after dropping 12 seats, while Independents and others hold a single seat.

The Green Party has taken control of Hackney in a historic result, winning 42 seats to Labour’s nine in one of the party’s traditional strongholds.

Earlier in the day, the party also won the borough’s mayoralty, capping a remarkable result.

Labour, which had long dominated Hackney, suffered a dramatic collapse, falling to just nine councillors after losing 41 seats. The Conservatives saw only limited gains, winning six seats, but gaining one.

Image source, PA Media

The mayor of London has called today's election results "deeply disappointing for Labour in London".

Sir Sadiq Khan said: "I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, all the great Labour councillors who have lost their seats for their hard work and dedication over many years.

"Labour is only able to deliver when we win elections, whether that be general, mayoral or local. Losing control of councils in London will limit our ability to serve the public in the way we want.

"Labour has lost votes in London to a variety of different parties, but the biggest change has been Labour voters switching to the Greens.

"Too many of the government’s achievements have been overshadowed by basic mistakes and a failure to boldly assert our progressive values.

"Without a change in course and an acceleration in delivery, the threat to Labour is existential."

Traditionally a Labour stronghold, Haringey in north London has undergone a major political shift.

Tottenham, traditionally one of Labour’s safest areas, has seen a dramatic shift with the Greens winning seats from the party.

With Labour dropping 30 seats, the Greens were one seat short of taking overall control.

Newham becomes the latest borough where Labour has lost ground, with the party losing 38 seats.

Those losses have been picked up by Independents and the Greens.

Labour has retained control of Camden Council, despite losing seats in the prime minister’s local borough.

It now holds 30 seats, a loss of 17 which the Green Party and Lib Dems have picked up.

Labour has now lost overall control of Brent, meaning all the London councils currently in no overall control were previously Labour-run.

The party lost 23 seats in the borough, with gains spread across the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens.

Nicky Ford
At the Croydon count

The stage was set and the drama did not disappoint in the Ashcroft Theatre at the Croydon mayoral election count.

A visibly emotional Jason Perry standing for the Conservatives was re-elected by 1,113 votes to win a second term.

He polled 35,871 as opposed to Labour’s Rowenna Davis who took 34,758.

In an interview with BBC London, Perry said: “It’s always hard fought here in Croydon and I’m just glad to be back in this role again.”

The Labour MP for Croydon East Natasha Irons paid tribute to their candidate, and said she fought a great campaign and she looked forward to working with Perry to get things done in Croydon.

He will need to do that against a financially constrained backdrop. Croydon has gone bankrupt three times since 2020.

He said there was "lots to do".

"Our residents backed the journey we’re on," he said. "We’re in a difficult financial situation, it’s difficult across London, difficult across the UK. Croydon’s circumstances are more difficult than most but we’re tackling them head on.”

The Green candidate Peter Underwood polled 19,404 votes and Reform UK's Ben Flook polled 14,467.

Jess Warren
BBC London

Image source, EPA

Speaking in Bexley, south-east London, Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservatives, said Nigel Farage "threw the kitchen sink at this council and didn't get anywhere".

"Bexley said no to Reform and do you know why? Because you guys are next to Kent and you saw the mess that they are making," she said, referring to the nearby council Reform UK party took control of a year ago.

Badenoch acknowledged that in Bexley four Tory seats were lost to Reform, but said the party would "keep fighting" and was "renewing" and "rebuilding".

"We are going to work ourselves to the bone to deliver for Bexley, to deliver for London, to deliver for the country," she said.

The Labour Party has lost control of Barnet Council, with the borough now in no overall control.

Labour won 31 seats, down 10 since the last election, while the Conservatives won 31 seats, up nine. The Green Party has one seat on the council.

The Labour Party has retained control of Hounslow Council, with 32 seats, down by 20 on the last election. The Conservatives took 17 seats, a gain of seven seats, and Reform UK gained its first eight seats on the council.

The Green Party, Independents, and Lib Dems also gained seats.

It has now been confirmed that the Conservatives have retained Bexley Council with 29 seats, a loss of four since the last election.

Labour won nine seats, down three, while Reform UK gained its first seven seats on the council.

All but one ward were counted and announced this morning, with the final result now declared.