Lib-Dem's have cause to celebrate after this weeks local elections.

11.27.40am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 3rd May 2008

There were no elections this year in Warwick & Leamington, yet in neighbouring constituencies the Liberal Democrats have much to celebrate.

In Stratford District Council the Lib-Dems gained 5 seats from the Conservatives. Just up the road in Coventry Russell Field was elected back onto Coventry City Council after a hard fought battle in one of Labour's top targets in spite of a visit from Gordon Brown.

Local Lib-Dem Parliamentary Candidate Alan Beddow said, "I'm especially pleased with these results in particular as we took the decision to pause our own campaigning and lead some teams into these areas to lend a hand."

Across the country the Lib-Dem's had the challenge of defending seats that had been won in 2004 when they received a large anti-war protest vote. A net gain of 34 councillors, taking control of one addition council, holding Liverpool against a massive and at times dirty Labour campaign and winning 3 seats on the London Assembly is cause for celebration. The share of the vote across the country puts Labour in 3rd place behind the Conservatives and the Lib-Dems.

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Full results of the local elections can be found on the BBC website.