4.30am update: Tories likely to hold on - but Labour make gains at Hillingdon elections

Labour and Conservatives have been neck to neck in the race to rule Hillingdon - as they both fight for the magic winning figure of 27 council seats.With 40 seats declared, Labour currently stand at 19 with the Tories just overtaking them at 21.

Candidates at the count believe the Conservatives are now likely to hold on to power for the next four years with a reduced majority of between seven and nine seats.

The Tories claimed a majority at the last local election back in 2018, winning 44 of Hillingdon Council’s 65 seats, with Labour winning the remaining 21 seats.

Following a boundary review, it was determined that the borough should be divided into 21 wards and represented by 53 councillors.

Whatever the result, the Labour Party are still likely to come out of the night with a significantly increased power base. Previously, they had about one third share of the council seats but they have already surpassed this with 13 seats left to declare.