Representation on 50 new councils
178 new seats already won by Greens
The Green Party is tonight celebrating a day of spectacular election results from around the country.
It went into this election with 178 councillors on 69 councils, which was a record high for the Green Party until today.
As of 5.45pm tonight, it has 313 councillors. Never before in its history has the Green Party had anything like so much local election success.
First seats were won on councils ranging from Carlisle to Folkestone, Sunderland to the Cotswolds.
Already strong areas such as Solihull and Mid-Suffolk council groups swelled to 14 and 12 respectively.
Sian Berry, co-leader, said: "This has been a spectacular 24 hours for the Green Party. The Green Surge of membership from 2015 has now borne fruit, with strong local parties around the country delivering community-based campaigns that have tapped into the passion for remaining in the EU and the determination to seek real, urgent action on climate change.
"This seems to have come as a surprise to much of the London-based media, but the Green leadership, as we have travelled around the country, have seen the way local support has blossomed, for Greens embedded in their communities but inspired by a vision of a UK living within the limits of this fragile planet while delivering a decent, secure life for everyone."
Sian added: "Voters are clearly fed up with the tired old politics of the parties of the past, who have delivered a UK in Brexit turmoil.
"Green politics is fresh and new, principled and consistent. We have always celebrated the value of the freedom of movement, which offers people opportunities to live, work, study and love on the Continent, and benefit from the contributions of other Europeans in our country.
"We have always insisted that we have to live within the physical limits of this one fragile planet, and that in doing so we can tackle the inequality, poverty and desperation that the failed policies of the past have created.
"On social media we are hearing from so many first-time Green voters who are now feeling unshackled from tradition ties, free to hope for a positive democratic future for the UK within the EU."
New councils with first seat(s):
St Helens, East Hertfordshire, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Tameside , East Devon, Colchester, Melton, North West Leicestershire, South Lakeland, Vale of White Horse , Cotswold, Folkestone, Tewkesbury, Derbyshire Dales, Eden, South Oxfordshire, Whychavon, Wyre Forest, Breckland, Darlington, Fenland, Richmondshire, Surrey Heath, Amber Valley, Stafford, Stratford on Avon, West Devon, Blabey, Charnwood, Cherwell, Craven, Kings Lynn, South Staffordshire, Wealden, Arun, Mid Devon, Mid Sussex, Rother, Swale, High Peak, Runnymeade, Ashford, Cheshire West, Tonbridge and Malling, Barbegh, Chichester, Rutland, Carlisle , Thanet and West Berkshire