A “political earthquake” has seen Labour take majority control of the city council for the first time in two decades.

Labour stormed to victory with gains against both the Conservatives and the Greens across Brighton and Hove.

The party swept Hangleton and Knoll and Woodingdean, ousting Conservative group leader Steve Bell and long-serving councillors Dee Simson and Dawn Barnett.

Labour also won all seats in Hanover and Elm Grove, Kemp Town and Hollingdean and Fiveways, making gains from the Greens.

You can read the latest from the count as the results are announced in our election live blog here. 

Labour missed out on electing councillors in Westdene and Hove Park with the Conservatives winning all three seats.

Labour’s 19-year-old candidate Lundy Mackenzie fell just 60 votes short of being elected.

At the time of going to print, Labour had reached 34 of the 54 seats on Brighton and Hove City Council, with the Greens on four, winning in West Hill and North Laine and in Round Hill, and the Conservatives with six.

In Rottingdean and West Saltdean, Bridget Fishleigh’s Brighton and Hove Independents group won both seats in the ward with Marc Earthey joining Cllr Fishleigh on the city council.

Peter Atkinson, an independent councillor who had quit the Labour Party, was also re-elected in his ward of North Portslade, with Labour’s Lucy Helliwell also winning in the ward.

Green hopes of gains were dashed in Patcham and Hollingbury, where all three Conservative councillors were re-elected by narrow margins.

Labour councillor for Wish Bella Sankey said that a “political earthquake” had erupted across the city.

She said: “We’ve waited so long to bring Labour back to this city and to be in a position to serve our residents and to deliver we’ve not had that chance until today.

“There is a political earthquake happening in Brighton and Hove and we are ready to lead.”

Recounts continued in Brunswick and Adelaide, where it was thought that council leader Phelim Mac Cafferty had lost his seat.

His fellow Green councillor Hannah Allbrooke is understood to be fighting for her political life against a Labour surge in support.

A recount is also understood to be ongoing in Regency, another ward that is traditionally Green.

Don’t miss Monday’s Argus for more election coverage.