By politics.co.uk staff

Despite losing votes and seats nationally Labour had a successful English local elections.

The party made a net gain of control of 14 councils, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats losing two each.

Labour has taken overall control in Hartlepool, Liverpool, Coventry, Doncaster, Camden, Ealing, Enfield, Hounslow, Islington, St Helens, Harrow, Oxford, Waltham Forest and Brent.

The Lib Dems have lost Rochdale and Sheffield but have gained Cheltenham where they ran the administration but with no overall control.

The Conservatives have gained control in Gosport, Hart, Richmond-upon-Thames and Craven but lost Lincoln, Brentwood, Solihull, Hyndburn, Mole Valley, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Bury and north Tyneside.

Sir Robin Wales, Labour mayor of the London borough of Newham was re-elected for a third straight term, which will see him in charge when his borough hosts the 2012 Olympics.