The headlines speak for themselves, ‘Labour on course to gain more than 700 council seats’ says the BBC, and further indications that it’s beginning to fall apart for the coalition with headlines and results such as ‘the Lib Dems have lost more than 125 seats’ and ‘the Conservatives have lost control of some 11 town Halls’.

Meanwhile, Labour had a significant gain in Harlow and Southampton, among other councils, where Labour won control. Well done to all of them!

Yes- the turnout was low but nevertheless the electorate is sending a clear message to the coalition government. And it was a particularly bad night for Cameron and Clegg, in fact the Lib Dem President Tim Farron was moved to apologise on this morning’s Today programme to Lib Dem councillors who lost their seats in the local election.

But will this apology be enough? Their members will undoubtedly feel aggrieved about the results and questions will arise about what the grass root members will do about it and the action they may seek to take.

For the first time the Lib Dems are experiencing the mid-term blues, which many of us know is a difficult position to be in.  It’s often far more difficult than standing and shouting form the side-lines as the Lib Dems have had the relative luxury to do in the past.

While these results give an indication of the mood of the nation, and hopefully will serve to send a message back to the coalition government, the London mayoral elections are not nearly as easy to judge in the same way.

We will get the result later today. We will also get the result of the London Assembly where it looks hopeful that Labour will make significant gains.