The Conservatives have won the West Midlands mayoral election, securing incumbent Andy Street another four years in power.

Mr Street, the former managing director of John Lewis, was elected as the first mayor of West Midlands in 2017.

He has held off a challenge from Labour’s Liam Byrne in this year’s ballot, picking up 314,669 votes.

Mr Byrne got 267,626 votes.

The result piles more “Super Thursday” misery on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, as the Tories enjoyed further success in traditionally Labour areas in England – including at the Hartlepool by-election.

UK elections live: Follow latest results and reaction as ‘Super Thursday’ votes counted

However, today has provided a couple of bright sparks for Sir Keir as Labour tasted success in the Welsh parliament elections and held on to the Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester mayoralties.

Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram retained the role he was first elected to in 2017 to shore up Labour’s support on Merseyside, where the party have also retained the Liverpool city mayoralty with victory for Joanne Anderson.

Mr Rotherham enjoyed an overwhelming victory by securing 58.3% of the votes (198,726 votes).

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham saw his share of the vote increase from 2017, going up from 63% to 69%.

He picked up 473,024 votes – well clear of the Conservatives’ Laura Evans on 113,753.

Massive thank you to everybody who has put your faith in me to continue as @UKLabour's Mayor of the Liverpool City Region.

It's a massive vote of confidence in the power of devolution and the work I've done so far – now the government has to back further devo. #NoOneLeftBehind pic.twitter.com/yoPeGJS7bB

Speaking after the result was declared, he said: “This vote sends a clear message to all Westminster parties.

“People are buying into English devolution. They are telling you to deliver more of it, not less.”

Meanwhile, Labour took the West of England mayoralty from the Conservatives.

Former Labour MP Dan Morris will replace Conservative Tim Bowles who is retiring after four years in the role.

Mr Norris picked up 125,482 votes, while Conservative candidate Samuel Williams got 85,389.

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Earlier, shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds admitted Labour has “a great deal to do” after “Super Thursday” disappointment but backed Sir Keir to oversee a turnaround in fortunes.

“We clearly got things severely wrong in Hartlepool, that’s why we lost to the extent we did,” he told Sky News.

“But it is also the case that having lost four general elections in a row, it was never going to be turned around in 12 months.

“I recognise, absolutely, that we have a great deal to do. But my point is this, Keir has started that work.

“He has led courageously on things like tackling antisemitism within the Labour Party, he’s started to create that change within the Labour Party.

“And that’s now what we’ve got to develop. As we move out of the pandemic the public will have that chance to see the Keir Starmer that I know, that will be out tackling inequality at the forefront of his mission in politics.

“That is something, of course, we’ve not been able to do to the same extent during the pandemic.

“But, of course, Keir can now do going forward and accelerate the process of change that he’s put in place.”

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