LABOUR lost three seats in some of its former Wirral heartlands on a tough night for the party.

After losing Birkenhead and Tranmere, Prenton and Bebington to the Green Party, Labour’s grip on Wirral Council has slipped even further from when the party lost its majority in 2019.

Labour did gain Rock Ferry and held off a strong fight from the Conservatives in Leasowe and Moreton East, but failing to win Pensby and Thingwall was another blow.

These results mean Labour now has just 30 of Wirral’s 66 councillors, well short of a majority and the council remains in no overall control.

Labour can perhaps find solace in the fact that it gained 40% of the vote overall and made Tory held Wallasey a very close race.

The Green Party had a fantastic night, winning in three former Labour strongholds and securing 16% of the vote across Wirral.

The Conservatives will be cheering their gain in Pensby and Thingwall and the successful defence of their existing seats, but might rue a missed opportunity in Leasowe and Moreton East.

For the Lib Dems it was a steady night, with solid holds in Oxton and Eastham, but little sign that the party is growing in the rest of the borough.

Reacting to the result, Labour councillor Janette Williamson, leader of Wirral Council, said she felt her party had actually done well compared to Labour’s dismal national picture.

She said: "We’re really pleased to welcome four superb new councillors to the Labour group. They’re bringing a lot of experience and expertise with them that they’ll put to real positive use in the communities that have chosen them to represent them. 

"But we are of course very sad to lose Christina Muspratt from Bebington, who has worked tirelessly for her ward for many years, and who I know will continue to be a champion for the neighbourhood. 

"There’s no doubt it’s been a mixed picture across the country, and there have been some results in other regions that we’ll need to go away and reflect on and come back stronger from.

"People have re-invested their trust and faith in their local Labour party, and we will not let them down." 

Victorious Green Party candidate for Bebington, Cllr Jason Walsh, said: “I’m absolutely over the moon, absolutely thrilled. The people in Bebington have voted for change.”

For the Conservatives, Cllr Tom Anderson said: “I think we’ve had a really good day, Pensby and Thingwall was a Labour seat when we last fought this seat in 2016, but [Dr] Ivan [Camphor, Tory candidate in the ward] has done a fantastic job.

“He’s a local GP who wants to protect the greenbelt and people in Pensby and Thingwall spoke clearly.”

Lib Dem councillor Allan Brame said: “The council looks even more interesting now, it’s very closely balanced, no longer do we have the rule of one Labour Party.”

After congratulating the Greens on their gains, Cllr Brame added that he was “delighted” with the two Lib Dem holds in Oxton and Eastham.