Hopeful nervousness turned to a resigned acceptance for Labour councillors and activists in Swindon as the party’s relatively poor showing became apparent as votes were counted in the Oasis centre’s sports hall.

The party came into the election needing to gain two seats from the Conservatives to put the council into no overall control, and it also needed to win Penhill from its former member turned independent Teresa Page to give it a chance of forming a minority or coalition administration.

But the gain of the formerly solid Labour seat scuppered all that.

While Labour held onto all the seats it had, that wasn’t good enough to overturn 15 years of Conservative rule in Euclid Street.

Labour group leader Jim Grant, who’d had hopes of moving into the council leader’s office was gracious in defeat, offering a handshake and early congratulations to his Tory counterpart David Renard, but also chastened.

He said: “We had real difficulty in getting our message across, especially on local issues.”

As the party nationally made gains, but not as much as it would have hoped given nine years of Conservative-led governments and a Parliamentary party riven by Brexit factionalism, Coun Grant offered what may be a coded criticism of the leadership: “We have to look at the way the party campaigns and tries to connect with people and get its message across. That’s a matter for another day.”

The defeat in Penhill and Upper Stratton was particularly damaging it the candidate Kate Linnegar is also set to contest the next general election for Labour in the north Swindon constituency.

Coun Grant was asked by reporters from all media organisation at the count whether Ms Linnegar’s failure to be elected had implications for her parliamentary candidacy, but wouldn’t be drawn: “It’s a fair question, it’s the obvious question. I don’t have the answer to that right now.

“It’s clear that we have a much better campaign across South Swindon than North Swindon. It’s something we have to take on board.”

Still remarkably cheerful Coun Grant said he’d be carrying on a group leader: “My lot aren’t talking about getting rid of me for now, so that’s one thing.”