THE Labour Party has been left without the control of any district councils in Lancashire after its last remaining ruling groups were booted out.

It is the first time since at least 1974 that no district or unitary councils in the county are in the party's hands.

Lancashire County Council is now the last remaining local authority controlled by Labour - but opposition say the "writing is on the wall" at the next election in 2009.

Labour chiefs said it was part of the cyclical nature of politics that the electorate liked to give the party that was in government a kicking in mid-term elections.

The comments came as Labour lost control of Blackburn with Darwen and Preston this week.

Blackburn with Darwen Council fell into the hands of a coalition and the Tories took over Preston from Labour to form a minority administration.

And following the election earlier this month, another Labour stronghold, Blackpool, fell when Tories doubled their 13 seats.

County Coun David Whipp, Lib Dem leader, said: "County Hall is now their last bastion, but the writing is already on the wall for the next election."

Lancashire County Council (LCC) elections have tended to favour Labour in recent times as they have fallen on the same day as general elections, which have higher turnouts which historically favour Labour.

But Labour cabinet member, County Coun Tony Martin, warned if LCC elections did not fall on the same day as a general election he doubted Labour could keep control.

He added: "It's the result of having a Labour government for 10 years.

"The only thing is we might need a Tory government to get them back."

Labour Hyndburn MP, Greg Pope, said it was a facet of western democracies that the electorate liked to give the government a kicking in mid-term elections and the same had been true in the 1980s under the Conservatives.

Conservative County Coun Duncan Ruddick, who is also leader of Rossendale Council, said: "People talk nationally about Conservatives not having a stronghold in the north but that is nonsense - look at Lancashire."

Only in Lancaster is power still up in the air. Councillors there will meet on Monday to decide which parties will rule as no one group has overall-control.

Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool councils are unitary authorities which run all services in their area unlike other places where functions are split between the county council and borough councils.