'We hung on!': Corbyn on borrowed time as Labour avoids heavy council defeats in England - but his party records its worst result in Scotland for a CENTURY as Tories push them into third place

Labour moderates have queued up to condemn Jeremy Corbyn in the wake of the disastrous results, pointing out that the party showed no signs of mounting a realistic challenge to the Conservatives at the next general election.

The veteran left-winger's own deputy Tom Watson admitted Labour was in a 'serious' situation but appealed for potential rebels to give him more time. With 80 out of 124 English council elections declared, Labour has lost control of just one authority - in Dudley - and dropped 25 seats.


However, it is still the worst showing by an Opposition party since the 1980s and critics pointed out that the Tories are in turmoil over the looming EU referendum.

In Scotland, where Mr Corbyn's allies had claimed his anti-austerity and anti-Trident stances would play well, the party has been humiliated by the SNP and beaten into third by the Conservatives.

The performance has not been worse since 1910 before women got the vote.

source:dailymail