The Lib-Dems achieved an electoral earthquake across Richmond borough last night, winning all but a handful of the 54 seats.

The Conservative party was all but obliterated, while the Green party is now the official opposition.

At the end of the night, the Lib-Dems had won an astonishing 48 seats with 5 for the Green party and just 1 for the Conservatives.

It is a remarkable reversal for the Conservatives who were in charge of the Council before the Lib-Dems took control at the 2018 local council elections

In a night of shocks, the Tory leader, Paul Hodgins, failed to get elected in East Sheen which has, historically, been a Conservative stronghold.

The Lib-Dem leader, Gareth Roberts, said the party had won a series of 'stonking majorities' in wards across the borough that had previously been dominated by the Conservatives for over 20 years.

As well as winning East Sheen, there was a clean sweep for the Lib-Dems in both Barnes and South Richmond.

Mr Roberts told Nub News: "This is unexpected, but we are delighted.

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"We thought that we would hold the seats that we have, but the fact that we would have gained another nine seats in a single election - in wards we have not held for 20 years – is truly remarkable."

Among the high profile Tory losers were Aphra Brandreth, who had arrived at the polls yesterday with her father, the TV and radio personality and former Tory MP, Giles Brandreth. She is considered a rising star in the Conservative ranks and led the party's campaigning in Barnes.

Labour achieved a fourth place in the Heathfield ward but was still some way behind the Lib-Dems.

Mr Roberts said: 'We are back in Richmond and we are back across the country."

Asked about the reasons for the success, he said: "The issues differed depending on the ward. In the east, it was very much the question of the future of Hammersmith Bridge. Then we had the issue of Twickenham Riverside and people trusted us to get it done and deliver this development.

"Over in Hampton concerns have centred on green issues and worries about open spaces.

"But really it was all about competence. People recognised that here in Richmond people have got competent local government. By contrast you have the shambles of the national government."

MP Munira Wilson celebrated the remarkable outcome, saying: "We are making gains in the Tory 'blue wall' seats that we are targeting for the next General Election, and we are taking seats off Labour in places like Hull."

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She said: "The national picture played a huge part in terms of people having lost all trust in Boris Johnson and his government….And of course the cost of living crisis where we are putting forward some positive solutions where the government has failed people time and time again."