Coventry Conservative wins after conceding defeat

An inquiry has started after a Tory councillor in Coventry conceded defeat in the council election, only to find out later that he had won.



Labour gained five seats from the Conservatives in the city and remains in control but at one stage the Tories also admitted defeat in Cheylesmore.

Deputy leader of the Conservative opposition Kevin Foster congratulated his Labour opponent, Alison Gingell.

But then more boxes of votes were found and he held on to the ward.

The council is investigating what went wrong.

Shift of control

Mr Foster was told before the official declaration that he had lost his seat and congratulated his opponent.

But after the other ballot boxes came to light, he had 2,493 votes in total, with his Labour opponent polling 2,188.

It is believed about 1,000 votes went missing.

Labour has 35 seats to the Conservatives' 17 in Coventry, where 18 out of 54 seats were contested.

Elsewhere, Labour wrestled control from the Conservatives in North Warwickshire.

Lib Dem losses

All 35 seats were contested on the council, where Labour took three off the Tories to win 18, leaving the Conservatives on 17.

The Conservatives, who control Stratford, gained two seats.

They have 34 of the 53 seats while the Liberal Democrats lost three and have 16. Seventeen were contested.

About a third of the seats were being contested in Conservative-controlled Rugby.

Counting is also to take place at Warwick council, where no party is in overall control.

Counting for the national referendum on the alternative vote system takes place on Friday afternoon.