Seven things you may have missed in the local elections

Palestinian flags were unfurled as Mothin Ali won a Leeds seat for the Green Party

The local elections have been broadly disappointing for the Conservatives, who have lost more than 200 seats as Labour gained more than 150 councillors.

As speculation grows about what the results could mean for both major parties at the next general election, expected later this year, here are seven things you may have missed:

Green supporters wave Palestinian flag

Supporters of a Green Party candidate elected to Leeds city council unfurled a Palestinian flag as the results were counted, shouting “we will not be silenced”.

Mothin Ali won the Gipton and Harehills seat with 3,070 votes, defeating Labour hopeful Arif Hussain, who received 2,323. One of Mr Ali’s supporters shouted “Allahu Akbar” prior to the Palestinian flag being taken down. A spokesman for Leeds council said the event had not disrupted the count.

Anti-LTN candidates win in Oxford

Three candidates representing a new coalition opposed to Oxford’s controversial low-traffic neighbourhoods have been elected to the city council.

Ian Yeatman, Anne Marie Stares and Judith Harley were all successful on a ticket of “offering a voice to those who no longer feel represented” by mainstream political parties.

Three LTN schemes in the east of the city were made permanent by Oxfordshire county council last autumn despite widespread opposition during an 18-month trial.

Ian Yeatman, one of three Oxford ant-LTN candidates to be elected

First Women’s Equality Party borough councillor

Stacy Hart won a seat on Basingstoke and Deane council to give the Women’s Equality Party its first ever borough councillor.

While the WEP had previously won seats on town and parish councils, Ms Hart’s election marks the party’s most important triumph in the nine years since it was founded by broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and journalist Catherine Mayer.

Ms Toksvig, who turned 66 on Friday, wrote on social media: “What a birthday present is! Thank you to Stacy, the Basingstoke branch team and most importantly all the voters in her ward who turned out for equality.”

Stacy Hart’s victory gave the Women’s Equality Party its first ever borough councillor

South Wales elects first black PCC

The first black female police and crime commissioner was elected by voters in South Wales as Emma Wools won the seat for Labour.

Jane Mudd became the second female PCC in Wales, although there was low turnout in the contests across the country, ranging from 15.6 per cent to just over 19 per cent.

Hailing an “enormous privilege and enormous responsibility”, Ms Wools said her election was a “powerful opportunity to create change, promote diversity and inclusion and advocate for underrepresented communities”.

Emma Wools, who has become the first black police and crime commissioner in South Wales – Dimitris Legakis/Athena Picture Agency Ltd

Reform only returns two councillors

Despite a strong showing in the Blackpool South by-election, coming a close third behind the Conservatives, Richard Tice’s insurgent Reform party was only able to turn double-digit national polling into two council seats.

Mr Tice told the BBC it was “patently unfair” that Reform had not picked up more councillors, arguing that it showed the need to overhaul the electoral system.

“As more people hear about Reform, we’re becoming the real opposition to the Labour Party in the North, in the Midlands, in Wales,” he said. “We’re on the way up, and it’s quite clear that the Tories are on the way down.”

Workers Party candidates unseat Labour

George Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain gained two council seats from Labour in Rochdale, the area Mr Galloway represents at a constituency level.

The success of Minaam Ellahi and Farooq Ahmed follows Mr Galloway’s victory in the Rochdale by-election at the end of February.

The firebrand MP is seeking to exploit a backlash among the town’s large Muslim population against Labour’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict. He is hoping to scupper Sir Keir Starmer’s chances of winning dozens of seats at next year’s elections in protest at his initial refusal to back a ceasefire in Gaza.

Green gains throughout the country

The Green Party had its first ever councillors elected in Sefton, Bolton, Redditch, Newcastle and South Norfolk as it seized on Left-wing disillusionment with Labour.

Counting was still under way as of Friday night in Bristol, where the party was confident it would make gains and become the largest party. It was unclear whether the Greens would reach the 36 seats they needed for an overall majority.

Play The Telegraph’s brilliant range of Puzzles – and feel brighter every day. Train your brain and boost your mood with PlusWord, the Mini Crossword, the fearsome Killer Sudoku and even the classic Cryptic Crossword.