Furious Labour MPs yesterday turned on Jeremy Corbyn and demanded a change in strategy after their dismal local election results.

The party failed to snatch any of its key target London boroughs from the Conservatives - despite hopes they could take advantage of anger over Brexit.

And their main target council of Barnet fell to the Tories amid widespread anger among voters at the Labour leader's failure to tackle anti-Semitism.

Labour MPs yesterday told how Jewish voters deserted their party which they have come to view as racist.

And they hit out at Mr Corbyn's allies who tried to spin the gloomy results as a step on the road to eventual victory.

Calls for an inquest into what went so badly wrong for Labour came as Theresa May carried out a victory lap of councils in London and the Midlands which her party had won.

And the Prime Minister taunted the labour leader saying he had 'failed' and was 'past his peak'.

Labour MPs yesterday rounded on Jeremy Corbyn (pictured, left, yesterday in Plymouth) after his poor showing in the local elections. The party failed to win its major target council of Barnet in north London, where defeated Labour councillor Adam Langleben said the part's failure locally was down to Mr Corbyn;'s failure to tackle anti-Semitism

Jeremy Corbyn tried to put a brave face on the results this morning as he visited Plymouth yesterday -but his MPs have turned on him saying the failure to tackle the anti-Semitism scandal has led voters to desert Labour, which has come to be seen as the new nasty party

Labour MP Jess Phillips took a swipe at attempts to paint the party's results as a success yesterday

Fellow Labour MP vented his anger at allies of Mr Corbyn who dismissed the anti-Semitism row as a 'smear'

Speaking in Wandsworth yesterday, the Prime Minister said: 'Labour thought they could take control, this was one of their top targets and they threw everything at it, but they failed.'

Theresa May basked in the sunshine and the better-than-expected results as she went to Wandsworth to celebrate with Tory activists

Mrs May (pictured in Barnet) has been given some welcome breathing space amid the raging Brexit row

Mrs May told activists in Barnet: 'People of all faiths have rejected the vile anti-Semitism which has gone unchallenged in the Labour Party for too long.'

Labour backbencher John Mann condemned the leadership's handling of anti-Semitism allegations.

He said: 'Those who called anti Semitism a smear cost Labour badly last night.

'A Jewish member for more than 60 years told me on the doorstep he couldn't vote Labour in Barnet yesterday.'

Another MP told MailOnline: 'The anti-Semitism affects the Jewish community, but it goes wider than that. We are seen as the nasty party.'

And leading backbencher Jess Phillips slammed the leader's acolytes for portraying 'failure as victory'.

And defeated Labour councillors in Barnet tore into Mr Corbyn, saying his failure to tackle the anti-Semitism scandal was behind their defeat.

In Barnet, Labour group leader Barry Rawlings said the anti-Semitism row had 'made a difference' to his hopes of securing an historic victory.

England's 2018 council elections at a glance Here are the highlights of the May 2018 local elections in England: Tories seize control of Barnet: Labour fail to win the north London borough in the wake of the anti-Semitism scandal. Furious defeated councillors have demanded Jeremy Corbyn personally apologise to them. Labour fails to win Westminster: The flagship Tory borough had been a key target for Labour. The party had hoped anger over Brexit would help them snatch the council. Labour fails to win Kensington & Chelsea: Labour had hoped to win the borough amid anger at the Tory council's handing of the Grenfell Tower disaster. Tories win in key swing areas outside London: The Conservatives are in control in Nuneaton and Swindon Tories lose Trafford: In Labour's biggest gain of the night, they snatch the Manchester Council off the Tories, who controlled it for 15 years. Labour wins control of Plymouth Council with Johnny Mercer the local Tory MP, blaming the upset on defence cuts which hit the area badly. Brexiteers, including Boris Johnson, say the Tory party's electoral success is a vote for a clean break from the EU. Dan Jarvis elected Sheffield city mayor. The Labour MP - one of a number of party moderates exiled to the backbenches who have now become city mayors - had been expected to win. Lib Dems make some inroads after three years years in the electoral wilderness, winning control of Richmond council. Ukip collapse as the party loses 92 council seats. Advertisement

The area of North London, which has a Jewish population of around 16 per cent, has been a key battleground for both the Conservatives and Labour, particularly in light of the latter's recent difficulties over anti-Semitism allegations within the party.

Mr Rawlings said he expected to see the allegations make an impact on some of the wards with particularly large Jewish populations, such as Childs Hill and Hale, although Labour only held one of six seats across the two wards going into the election.

He said: 'I must say that in some wards where there is a large Jewish community, it (the anti-semitism issue) has made a difference, I'm not sure yet how much. Of course the Tories did go hard in those areas on that issue, saying that if you vote Labour you're voting for Jeremy Corbyn.

'But to be honest most of the conversations (with voters) have been about potholes rather than anti-Semitism. That said, we want people to know it is an issue we take very seriously in the Labour party.'

A defeated Labour councillor, Adam Langleben, said it was a source of 'shame' for the party that Jewish people had felt obliged to vote based on 'their safety'.

'Thanks to all those who voted for myself, Humayune and Agnes today. It was the greatest honour of my life to serve West Hendon,' he tweeted.

'We must NEVER have another election like this. No community group should have their vote dictated by their safety. That should shame us @UKLabour.'

Mr Langelben told the Guardian: 'Every Jewish Labour household we visited, people said, 'not this time.'

'Activists were being told, 'this is a racist party, an anti-Semitic party', doors were slammed in their faces.

'We as Jewish Labour activists were told we were endorsing anti-semitism. The reason we have lost here is the inability to deal with this issue and to tackle anti-Semitism.'

He added: 'Jeremy Corbyn was supposed to come here for a victory speech.

'We want him to come to Barnet anyway, to apologise to Jewish Labour activists, to Barnet Labour and to the Jewish community here so we can start the healing process.'

Labour MP Wes Streeting replied to Mr Langleben saying: 'I am so so sorry. This defeat wasn't yours.'

Labour MP Chuka Umunna has called for an internal inquiry into the party's campaign for the May 3 local elections, warning that the results cannot leave it confident of success at the next national poll.

Mr Umunna said the advances which could be expected at this stage in the electoral cycle under a 'divided and incompetent' Government had failed to materialise.

But in a statement, Mr Corbyn insisted Labour had a 'solid set of results'.

Labour failed to make the sweeping local election gains they had hoped to

The Tories emerged triumphant in Wandsworth (pictured) despite a massive effort by Labour to oust them

'In a sign of how worried they are about Labour's advance, the Tories talked up our chances to unrealistic levels, especially in London,' he said.

'The results show they're right to be worried - we came within a whisker of winning Wandsworth for the first time in over 40 years. 'The Labour Party is now well placed to fight and win the next General Election - and form a government that will work for the many, not the few.'

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said anti-Semitism was 'clearly' costing the party council seats as he issued a grovelling apology for the party's failure to root out the abuse.

He said: 'I think the issue is bigger than just have we won a few words in a target council, it is how do we live in a fair society and make sure people can't hold those prejudiced views.

'There is no room for it in the Labour Party…..I don't want to be coming on this show in a year's time and explain why the party has not dealt with anti-Semitism quickly enough in our own party.

'And I hope people take me at my word for that .'

In the biggest test of public opinion since the General Election, Labour's efforts to wrest the strongholds of Westminster, Wandsworth and Barnet from the Tories fell flat.

The Tories managed to comfortably hold on to their London 'crown jewel' boroughs despite fears they may lose them amid opposition to Brexit.

And in Leave voting areas outside London, the Tories managed to make a series of gains as the Ukip vote collapsed and switched to Mrs May.

Local elections: the results so far Results for more than 4,300 seats are being counted over the next few hours. The results so far show: Labour 2,301 (+57) Conservative 1141 (+2) Liberal Democrats 412 (+43) Ukip 3 (-118) Greens 32 (+4) Other 133 (+12) Advertisement

The Conservatives took control of Nuneaton and Bedford Council - a bellweather for General Elections - and hung on to Dudley and Swindon.

In Barnet, where Labour needed just one seat to secure control, the Tories entrenched their position - with defeated councillors launching a furious attack on Mr Corbyn for failing to get a grip on the anti-Semitism crisis.

Mrs May told activists in Wandsworth yesterday: 'Labour thought they could take control, this was one of their top targets and they threw everything at it, but they failed.'

She also made a stop in Barnet, telling supporters: 'People of all faiths have rejected the vile anti-Semitism which has gone unchallenged in the Labour Party for too long.'

The results sparked an immediate backlash with Mr Corbyn facing questions over his ability to win the keys to Downing Street and claims he is 'past his peak'.

Mr Corbyn tried to put a brave face on the results this morning as he visited Plymouth - the only council secured by Labour. 'Across the country we have made a lot of progress,' he said. 'We were defending seats won in 2014 which was a particularly good years.'

Challenged on whether he had 'peaked', Mr Corbyn replied: 'There's much more to come and it's going to get even better.'

By contrast Mrs May was visibly relieved after defying expectations in the wake of last year's disastrous snap election.

The Conservatives made a series of gains around the country and won enough seats to deprive Labour of majorities in others.

However, Mrs May did suffer losses in Trafford - meaning there is now no Tory controlled council in Greater Manchester - and Plymouth.

A defeated Labour councillor in Barnet demanded that Mr Corbyn (pictured in Plymouth yesterday) comes to the area to apologise for the anti-Semitism row

Local Labour MP Emma Dent-Coad was left with her head in her hands after the declaration was made in Kensington & Chelsea

Both the Conservatives and Labour benefited from a total collapse in support for Ukip, which faces losing the vast majority of the 166 seats it won four years ago.

The Liberal Democrats appear on track to make the most gains overall, sweeping up west London seats they lost after joining the coalition government.

Elections expert Michael Thrasher said the results so far suggested that Labour would lose one seat in a general election, while the Tories would also lose at the expense of the Lib Dems but still be the largest party.

Mr Thrasher told Sky News: 'What Labour has failed to do is establish itself as a party that can win the next general election.'

In one of the most significant results of the night, Labour lost control of Nuneaton council in a signal the party is failing to make progress in crucial swing seats.

The Tories won nine extra seats and saw their vote surge in the Warwickshire town, which is seen as a crucial bellwether seat for the country as a whole.

As the woe continued for Mr Corbyn, the Conservatives gained control of Redditch, taking two seats from Labour and one from Ukip.

Elsewhere, the Tories held off a Labour surge in Swindon to retain control of the council, which is home to two marginal constituencies currently with Tory MPs.

Basildon fell to the Tories from No Overall Control after the party won five extra seats. Labour also won three extra seats as Ukip collapsed.

In a bright spot for Labour on a grim night, the Conservative Party has lost control of Trafford for the first time in 14 years - meaning the party no longer controls a single council in Greater Manchester.

Labour also won Plymouth from the Tories in their first gain of a town hall.

Party sources pointed to significant surges in support in important areas and insisted the results overall were in line with the party's surprise gains at last summer's general election.

But polling expert Sir John Curtice told the BBC: 'The truth is Labour has come to look as though it's empty handed because in truth outside of London, it's not dramatic but there is a small swing to the Conservatives compared with 2014.'

He added: 'There therefore is very little in the way of Labour gains.'

The professor continued: 'So the truth is there isn't really much for the Labour party to celebrate this morning.'

Mrs May was visibly relieved in Wandsworth yesterday after defying expectations in the wake of last year's disastrous snap election

London Mayor Sadiq Khan admitted not everything had gone Labour's way yesterday as he visited Wandsworth in the capital

The Grenfell Tower fire cast a long shadow over the elections in Westminster as a campaign group for victims beamed its logo onto Kensington town hall

They also pointed out that the local Labour Party in Plymouth was not run by the hard-left, and did not receive much help from Momentum activists.

'I don't think the results are good at all. The tarnish has come off Corbyn,' the MP said.

Senior Tory MP Johnny Mercer said the government's approach to defence had contributed to the Conservatives losing Plymouth.

The defence committee member told BBC News: 'We've lost control of the council. I think across the country, clearly, it's not been a good night for Labour, but certainly challenging down here.'

Mr Mercer said on the doorstep voters believed the military was reducing under the Conservative government.

'It's pretty clear to me the biggest factor in this city is defence,' he said. 'It always has been.'

He added: 'I've made very public my concerns around the handling of defence at the moment and what the vision is.'

More than 22 million people were eligible to vote in yesterday's elections, which were counted overnight in 150 council areas (pictured is the Sunderland count)