Boris Johnson said the Conservatives’ election successes will keep his Government’s “focus on what matters”.

The Tories enjoyed a hat-trick of victories in the Super Thursday elections, pulling off a shock victory in the Hartlepool by-election and holding onto the Tees Valley and West Midlands mayoral posts.

In an unprecedented move for a party in power for more than a decade, the Tories had 12 net councils gains in England and more than 280 seats.

Mr Johnson – who travelled to Hartlepool to celebrate with the town’s new MP Jill Mortimer on Friday – vowed that there would be “no let up in levelling up” following the victories.

The Prime Minister said: “These election results are an instruction to us to keep our focus on what matters – more jobs and investment, better public services and levelling up opportunity in every single community across the country.

“Many people will have voted Conservative for the first time. From the Vale of Clywd to Harlow, from Cornwall to Dudley – and, of course, in Hartlepool.

“Voters have put their trust in Conservative representatives, councillors and mayors and we must deliver for them.

“We will have a laser-like focus on the people’s priorities as we build back better from the pandemic.

“There will be no let up in levelling up.”

Many of the wins in England were snatched from Labour as Mr Johnson took another brick out of the so-called “red wall” with his Hartlepool triumph.

Earlier on Saturday, Environment Secretary George Eustice said Brexit and the success of the vaccine rollout had helped the Tories to win votes off the Opposition party.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “When it comes to the really big breakthrough in the Hartlepool by-election and the election of Ben Houchen as well (as Tees Valley Mayor), I think really it is a case of parts of this country feel they have elected Labour for a very long time, they feel taken for granted.

“I think the Brexit decision and the wrangling over that in recent years has focused minds in that they have questioned whether the Labour Party was really in touch with their priorities.

“And of course the rollout of the vaccine has been successful and I think people feel positive and that they can see a way out of this terrible pandemic we have been enduring.”

Put to him that “crises favour incumbents” following strong showings for the Tories in England, Labour in Wales and the SNP in Scotland, Mr Eustice replied: “I’m not sure that is the way I would view it.”