Coalition bruised as Labour scores big election gains On a bruising night for the Tories and Liberal Democrats, the party took control of a series of key councils including Southampton, Birmingham, Plymouth, Reading, Norwich, Thurrock and Harlow. In contrast Prime Minister David Cameron suffered the embarrassment of losing seats in his Witney constituency to Labour as it made inroads into the Conservative heartlands of southern England. With around half of votes counted, Labour had racked up more than 470 new seats and looked set for overall gains of more than 700, while the Tories looked likely to lose more than 350 seats and the Liberal Democrats about 200. Speaking outside his London home, Mr Miliband said: "We are a party winning back people's trust, regaining ground, but there is more work to do." Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said he was "really sad" at his party's results but insisted they would "continue to play our role" in Government dealing with the economic crisis. "I am really sad that so many colleagues and friends - Liberal Democrat councillors, who have worked so hard, so tirelessly for so many years for communities and families in their local areas - have lost their seats and I want to pay tribute to all the great work they have done," he said. I am determined that we will continue to play our role in rescuing, repairing and reforming the British economy. It's not an easy job and it can't be done overnight but our duty is to boost jobs and investment and to restore a sense of hope and optimism to our country. "These results - while it is never a good feeling to lose councillors - are well within the normal range of mid-term results for governments and I think not so good for the Opposition who are not getting 40% of the vote," he said. A BBC projection of the national vote share gave Mr Miliband's party 39% - up three points on a year ago. In a further blow to Mr Cameron, Manchester, Nottingham and Coventry ignored his pleas and rejected proposals for elected mayors. However, Mr Miliband did suffer a setback in Bradford, where his party lost seats to George Galloway's Respect party. But there were also calls for a change in direction from the leadership on issues like gay marriage and reform of the House of Lords. "The coalition is going to look completely stupid if it follows through on Lords reform," he told the BBC. Defence Minister Gerald Howarth said: "There are issues, for example, like the proposals for gay marriage. A lot of Conservatives have written to me saying 'I am a lifelong Conservative, there is no mandate for this, why is this being proceeded with?"' And Tory MP Gary Streeter said party supporters were "gagging" for some more traditional right-wing policies in areas such as law and order. Mr Hague hinted at frustration within Conservative ranks over the restraints imposed by the need to work in coalition with the Lib Dems. "Of course the Conservatives can't do everything that we would like to do in government because we are in coalition within the Liberal Democrats," he said. Of course it is what we will be fighting for in the next general election in 2015. But Lib Dem president Tim Farron said Tories would be "bonkers" to respond to their setback by swinging to the right. He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "It was almost amazing that the Tories managed to not win the 2010 general election but the thought that they would somehow build themselves up to a majority by lurching to the right to try and bring back people they think they've lost to Ukip - in so far as anyone in the Tory Party should take political and strategic advice from me, can I just advise them that would be bonkers." Most were last up for grabs in 2008, when the Conservatives made significant gains. Around 1,200 are in Scotland, where Labour is expected to find it tougher to make inroads against the SNP and where counting was only beginning today. The remainder of the 10 cities holding referendums on elected mayors will announce their results later. On a gloomy day for his party and the coalition Government, Mr Cameron will be hoping for the silver lining of victory for Tory Boris Johnson in the London mayoral election, with results announced tonight. With results available from 99 councils, the state of parties is: Party Total; Change in Seats; Net change