Theresa May appears to have come through local election night undamaged despite rows over Brexit and Windrush as UKIP collapsed across England.
One significant result saw the Tories retain control of Kensington and Chelsea despite anger over the response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
The Conservatives also gained Barnet, with Labour missing out on a key target council following its anti-Semitism row. The borough has a large Jewish community.
For UKIP, the highs of 2014 have turned into near obliteration, with the party losing 84 seats by 6.30am and retaining just two.
There were bright spots for Labour after 150 local authorities in England headed to the polls but overall the party did not live up to expectations. There was good news in Greater Manchester, where they became the largest party for the first time in 15 years – with the Tories losing overall control.
Labour also gained Plymouth, taking control from the Conservatives, but Mr Corbyn will come under pressure over disappointing results in the Midlands, with his party losing control of Derby and Nuneaton and Bedworth.
They also failed to take their target council of Walsall, which remained in no overall control.
There was plenty to cheer for the Lib Dems, who gained Richmond from the Tories amid signs of a Brexit backlash in a strong Remain-supporting area.
Labour councillors in Trafford celebrate as the Conservatives lose overall control
But overall Mrs May will be happy. There were gains in Peterborough and Basildon, the latter a result of capitalising on UKIP’s demise. In London, the Tories also successfully defended Wandsworth and Westminster boroughs despite Labour hopes they could take both.
Meanwhile, Dudley remained in no overall control but the council’s Tory leader was confident a UKIP councillor and independent Conservative would join their group to hand them effective control.
With more than half of the results declared, Labour were one council down with the Tories unchanged overall.
Counting was set to continue throughout Friday, when mayoral results will also be declared.
Commenting on Tory fortunes, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox told Sky News: “It’s at the higher end of what we might have expected.
It’s certainly a poor night in terms of the Labour Party outside London.
Speaking to Sky News, Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell played down suggestions his party should have been enjoying a more dominant night.
He said: All the hype in the media about Labour gains in certain boroughs was never going to be the case. What we were looking for was steady progress.
Away from the local elections, a parliamentary by-election in Tyrone West, Northern Ireland, saw Sinn Fein’s Orfhlaith Begley hold the seat for her party.
The contest was sparked after Sinn Fein’s Barry McElduff resigned in January, 10 days after a controversy flared when he posted a video of himself with a Kingsmill-branded loaf on his head on the anniversary of the notorious Kingsmill massacre.