So, how have the Lib Dems done in the 2008 local elections?

Here are some of the benchmarks the media set for the Liberal Democrats ahead of the 2008 local council elections:

• Financial Times: any gains would be “good performance”
• Daily Telegraph: loses of  less than 50 would make for a “good night”
• Daily Mail: loses of less than 50 would make for a “good day”

… whilst the average prediction from readers of this site was for 34 loses.

And the results? With around two-thirds in, the party is on a net gain of 8.