Local elections 2012 - in pictures

Labour supporters celebrate another gain from the Liberal Democrats in Sheffield Photograph: Asadour Guzelian/Guzelian Disconsolate Liberal Democrat supporters at the Sheffield local election count Photograph: Asadour Guzelian/Guzelian The Scottish Labour party leader of Glasgow city council, Gordon Matheson, celebrates with supporters as results are read out Photograph: David Moir/Reuters Labour leader, Ed Miliband, is congratulated by supporters in Birmingham after his party made big gains Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters David Cameron and Conservative co-chair Lady Warsi (left) speak with workers at the party's headquarters in London after polls closed in local elections Photograph: Reuters Professor Pongoo aka Mike Ferrigan who has won more votes than the Liberal Democrats in the local elections in Pentland Hills ward, Edinburgh Photograph: Ali Tibbitt/ STV A Boris Johnson supporter talks on the phone at a vote counting centre at Alexandra Palace Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Staff at Olympia in London prepare to count the votes Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA An official prepares ballots for counting Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Staff at Olympia in London prepare to start the count Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA The count at Olympia in London Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Respect party leader, George Galloway, with supporters at the party's Bradford HQ after they won five seats on the Bradford council Photograph: Dave Higgens/PA Candidates watch as votes are counted at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon Photograph: Tim Ireland/PA A volunteer dashes in with the first ballot boxes for the count in Sunderland Photograph: Craig Connor/North News & Pictures Ltd Counting of votes gets under way at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre in Bradford Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Votes are emptied from a ballot box in Bradford Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Scrutineers watch votes being counted at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre in Bradford Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA The London mayor, Boris Johnson, talks to the media outside a polling station with his wife, Marina Wheeler, after casting his vote in Islington Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images Labour's London mayoral candidate, Ken Livingstone, leaves with his wife, Emma Beal, children and dog, Coco, after casting his vote at Mora primary school Photograph: Rosie Hallam/Getty Images The prime minister, David Cameron, and his wife, Samantha, leave a polling station at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, leaves Park Hill community centre after voting in his constituency in Stannington, Sheffield Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, and his wife, Justine, arrive at their local polling station Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA George Gallowy MP campaigns on the Respect party's double decker bus in Little Horton ward Photograph: Christopher Thomond Humza Yousaf, a member of the Scottish parliament for the Scottish National party, gets the vote out at Corkerhill in Glasgow Photograph: Murdo MacLeod Glen the terrier yawns as his owners go to vote at the local polling station at Pencaitland, Scotland Photograph: Murdo MacLeod Photograph: Murdo MacLeod Boris Johnson talks to a commuter on an escalator on the London Underground after casting his vote in the local elections Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images Nicola Sturgeon, deputy leader of the Scottish National party, casts her vote at Broomhouse Halls polling station in Glasgow Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images A voter leaves Berryknowe Resource Centre polling station in Glasgow Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA A young couple kiss before entering a polling station in north London Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images An electoral staff member protects a polling station sign from the rain at Haven Christian Centre in Derby Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA Voters arrive at St Paul's church polling station in Birmingham Photograph: David Jones/PA Voters leave a polling station at Grange Hall community centre in Littleover, Derby Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA Green party volunteer Caroline Russell and Labour party volunteer Asha Abdi wait for voters outside St Thomas' church hall in Highbury, north London Photograph: Rosie Hallam/Getty Images