THE Liberal Democrats suffered crushing blows across all Merseyside councils, mirroring the party’s last-minute collapse in the General Election.

The party had a net loss of 29 seats, out of the 167 contested in the eight councils which went to the polls.

In marked contrast, Labour came out of the election with an extra 39 seats, including nine snatched from the Lib-Dems in Liverpool, which was one of only six councils in the country where one party took overall control from another.

The Conservatives’ performance was at odds with their position as the party with the most seats in Westminster, losing eight but winning two. Today, Sefton, Warrington and Wirral councils all remained deadlocked, with no party in overall control.

But, in St Helens, Labour was celebrating after gaining five seats, securing Cllr Marie Rimmer’s party a four-seat majority, unseating previous council leader, Lib-Dem Cllr Brian Spencer.

In Southport, the Lib-Dems won six of seven available council seats, with first-time candidate Haydn Preece snatching Ainsdale from the Tories, which he claimed was “a giant killing, the equivalent of a League Two side taking on a European side and winning.”

The Lib-Dems in Knowsley, who decided not to stand against fledgling party 1st 4 Kirkby for the town’s seats, suffered five losses to Labour, who consolidated their hold on the borough with 53 seats compared to the Lib-Dems’ 10.

West Lancashire council remained in Tory control, although the party lost three seats, decreasing its majority to eight.

Halton remained Labour, with the ruling party taking four seats, the Lib-Dems losing one and the Conservatives three.

Labour took five seats in Warrington, giving the party 27 seats, although the borough remains in no overall control.