The Green Party's four-seat defeat at City Hall is a result of a shift in the political feel of the Labour Party, the city's MP has said.

Clive Lewis, a key ally of veteran left-winger Jeremy Corbyn who is credited with securing his place in last summer's leadership contest, said that the council election night in Norwich had been better than expected.

His party now has 26 seats on Norwich City Council to the Green Party's 10 after taking four seats in yesterday's poll.

He said: 'Norwich is a very progressive city. It is more complicated than straight switching from Green to Labour, but there was a big part of that and part of that was no doubt because of the shift in the political feel of the Labour Party.

'I remember when I was knocking on doors in 2011 I had people poking me and jabbing me in the face saying 'Iraq, economic policies - you left us'. I finally feel that people now understand the Labour Party in Norwich and nationally it is heading in a direction a lot more people feel comfortable with.

He said they had taken the Green Party's 'crown jewels'.

'It has been a really good night for us. The work of city council in tough conditions with the cuts, they have proven they are doing the very best they can with the scare resources nad people appreciate that.'

But questioned on UKIP's success in Great Yarmouth he said: 'I abhor the politics of UKIP, it is the politics of division. For the Tories they are reaping what they sow. Their politics are divisive and that feeds into the whole mantra of negativity and that feeds UKIP, as simple as that. UKIP are benefitting from Europe.'