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All the information you need to know before traveling to Israel

Dear friends.

Out of an abundance of caution over the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, as of November 28th, 2021, Israel has closed its borders to all tourists until December 13th, 2021. Only citizens of Israel and specific visa holders are allowed entry to Israel. If you had a trip scheduled during that time, even if you or your group had been granted a permit, you are no longer allowed to go as a tourist regardless of your circumstances. 

During this two week stop, the Ministries of Health and Tourism will work tirelessly to evaluate the current situation judiciously and make policies that reflect the best course forward given all available data.

For the most up-to-date information on tourist entry requirements, please go to the Israel Ministry of Health's Covid-19 website : corona.health.gov.il .

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Israel moves to allow tourists back in — if they are vaccinated.

The plan to reopen to international tourists for the first time since the pandemic began comes as infections are steadily declining in Israel after a fourth wave.

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By Hiba Yazbek

• Published Oct. 21, 2021 Updated Nov. 4, 2021

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Israeli health officials announced a plan on Thursday to allow vaccinated tourists to enter the country starting Nov. 1, the first time the country will open its borders to tourism since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since May, Israel has allowed entry only to immediate relatives of Israelis who are vaccinated or have recently recovered from a coronavirus infection, provided they obtain approval from the government. The new plan, which still requires official government approval, comes at a time when infection rates in Israel are steadily declining after a fourth wave.

The country, which had one of the world’s fastest vaccination drives but has now been surpassed by more than 30 countries , is currently leading in booster shot distribution, with some 3.8 million of its 8.8 million people having received a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Israelis lifted domestic restrictions and largely returned to normal in May.

According to the office of the prime minister, tourists who have been fully vaccinated with most internationally recognized vaccines, as well as those who have recovered from Covid-19 within the last six months, will be allowed to enter the country, unless they are from “red” countries with severe outbreaks.

Tourists qualified to enter the country can receive a digital Green Pass, allowing them to enter restaurants, cafes, bars and other indoor places in Israel.

The plan will not allow those vaccinated with Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, which is not approved by the World Health Organization, to enter the country yet. Mr. Bennett is mulling postponing their entry until Dec. 1.

The plan came a day before Mr. Bennett was scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin of Russia in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi.

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Israel entry rules: COVID testing and quarantine scrapped for arrivals

Israel is celebrating a "crucial milestone" as it scraps all Covid-19 entry rules for travellers.

Israel will drop all Covid-19 entry rules from Saturday (May 21).

Travellers will be able visit the Middle Eastern country without showing proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test result.

Previously, visitors had to show a negative test taken within 24 hours before departure. They also had to take a PCR test on arrival at Israeli airports, and isolate until receiving a negative result - a process which usually takes around 12 hours.

“This is the news we have been waiting for, for more than two years,” said Sharon Ehrlich Bershadsky, director of the Israel Government Tourist Office in London.

“With Israel joining many other countries in dropping all Covid restrictions, I am hopeful the travel industry has now reached a crucial milestone in this post-pandemic world.”

• Croatia drops all entry rules for travellers: Here are 9 places to visit for a cultural experience
• UPDATED: Where can I travel in Europe? A list of COVID entry rules for every European country

What are Israel’s entry rules and how are they changing?

Pre-departure Covid tests were scrapped for Israelis back in March - but tourists were still subject to strict rules.

In welcome news for those planning a trip to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, these tests - and on-arrival PCR tests - will be ditched for all visitors from Saturday May 21.

Under current rules, all arrivals, citizens and foreign nationals alike, must test (again) after stepping off their flight. At Ben Gurion, passengers are directed to makeshift PCR testing stations in a corner of the main terminal normally reserved for airline check-in counters.

Currently, you must self-isolate for at least 24 hours, or until a negative PCR result is received, which usually takes around 12 hours. If the test is positive, 14 days of home isolation await - though can be halved with another PCR test on day 7.

From Saturday 21 May, this costly and time-consuming rule will be ditched. 

Announcing the new rules, Israel’s Ministry of Health declared said Covid infection numbers have “dropped to a number low enough where it is safe enough to relax restrictions further”.

There are now around 2,400 new daily cases in the country - according to WHO statistics for 17 May - way down from the peak of nearly 250,000 in January this year.

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Other measures are set to stay, however, including the requirement to fill out an entry statement form 48 hours before your journey to Israel.

This has been required in the country since before the pandemic.

At present, tourists must also take out a health insurance policy to cover the costs of Covid treatment if they fall ill whilst abroad.

Unvaccinated tourists can travel to Israel, but it’s a riskier venture as (unless you’ve recently recovered from the virus) you won’t be eligible for a Green Pass which exempts you from needing to isolate if you come into contact with a Covid case while in Israel.

Do you have to wear a mask in Israel?

Masks are no longer required indoors in Israel, after a government review in late April. Flights are one exception to this, as well as hospitals and care homes.

Depending on where you’re staying, the new  local councils traffic light  system provides an up-to-date picture of the latest Covid stats and guidance in public places.

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My experience entering Israel as a vaccinated tourist

Update (11/29/2021) : Israel has closed its borders to all tourists for at least two weeks due to the Omicron variant. As we learn more information about the variant and Israel's reopening plans, we'll update the story below.

The last time I visited Israel, I was locked in my hotel room for 36 hours.

On Dec. 11, 2020, I arrived at an eerily quiet Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Of the handful of passengers who flew on the 318-seat United 787-10 Dreamliner with me, most were Israelis returning home from a visit to friends and family abroad.

I was one of the few foreigners who had received special permission from the government to enter the country. I was about to fly on the historic first commercial flight between Tel Aviv and Dubai , and had planned a 36-hour layover in Israel to make sure I wouldn't miss it.

I stayed at one of the only open hotels at the time, the Intercontinental David Tel Aviv , and had three entire floors to myself. It was just me and some airline flight crew. Across the street from my hotel was a government-run quarantine hotel, where most inbound passengers were forced to stay for two weeks. I could see them waving at me from their balconies.

It was a strange time — especially compared to my last "normal" visit to Israel in October 2019 — but one that I'll never forget.

In fact, it was those memories of my 36-hour quarantine that made me even more excited to visit Israel as soon as it reopened to the world.

As a Jew, it felt weird to be shut out of Israel, "my" country, for nearly two years. When I learned that Israel was officially reopening on Nov. 1, I knew I needed to get there.

How would the country change? And what would it take to pull off a mid-pandemic trip? You're about to find out.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Requirements to enter Israel

Tourists who would like to visit Israel must satisfy certain criteria to be eligible for entry. This includes being either fully vaccinated (with a booster dose, for most people), or providing proof they have recently recovered from COVID-19 (excluding those who've recovered in the U.S.).

There are many intricacies and additional conditions to entry, all of which I cover in my detailed guide to visiting Israel as a vaccinated tourist .

Be sure to check it out as a refresher, and continue reading for what it was like to actually travel to and enter Israel.

Entering Israel as a vaccinated tourist

My journey to Israel began at New York's JFK Airport with a flight on American Airlines .

The first (and only) document check I had was at the check-in desk in New York. There, I was asked to present my entry declaration form, along with my negative PCR test and green pass.

Israel requires all inbound travelers to present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure. Additionally, you must fill out an online entry form with your health information and travel itinerary.

After completing the entry declaration, you'll receive a email that contains a confirmation of submission, along with a green pass that you'll use to enter indoor restaurants and attractions once in Israel. (Note that I discuss these documents at length in my reopening guide. )

After the check-in agent confirmed with her supervisor that these documents were sufficient, she printed my boarding pass — and none of these papers were checked again.

In fact, my vaccine card was never checked throughout the process.

At the gate and on the plane, the only items that were needed were my passport and boarding pass.

The same was true once I landed.

The first stop was to clear passport control, which had been relocated since my last visit through Ben Gurion Airport.

There are now individual border entry kiosks located at each pier of gates that require a scan of your passport photo page and a quick picture. You're then issued an entry permit in the form of a small card, which replaces a stamp in your passport.

Once you receive an entry permit, you'll walk down the ramp and into the arrivals area — the same process as before the pandemic.

The old passport control counters are still in use for foreigners, who will need to stop here for a quick interview where you're asked the purpose of your trip and other travel details. (No questions were asked about my health or vaccine status.)

My interview lasted mere seconds, and I was issued a blue "gate pass" which allowed me to proceed into the baggage claim area.

Nothing had changed at baggage claim and customs. Throngs of people still searched for their bags around the carousels.

After I cleared customs, things finally started to look different.

The arrivals hall was closed to the public. All passengers were funneled directly into a COVID-19 testing site, which was located a few steps away in a massive banquet tent.

Those who didn't prepay for their tests were required to stop at the cash register first. Everyone else could proceed directly into the testing site.

Even with over 70 stations for the tests, it was still a balagan – a mess. People didn't know where to go or what to do.

Only one gentleman was on hand to control the crowd, yelling at folks to go to the next available counter. Families and groups approached the counters together, so I went searching for one without a line.

It didn't take me long to arrive at counter 44. The nurse instructed me to take a seat and pull up my payment confirmation barcode.

He then scanned the barcode, verified my passport information and collected two swabs — both were taken from the mouth and then inserted in alternating nostrils. Thankfully, this wasn't the type of test that tickles your brain.

He then broke the swabs into a test tube, sealed the package and dropped it into a bin that had, by my count, at least 30 other swabs in it.

The nurse then put a paper bracelet on my right wrist and told me to expect results in about a day.

I stopped for a second to get a sense of the volume that this testing site handles — I counted over 40 passengers entering the tent in the course of one minute.

Assuming that pace continues for an hour (and it did for the 10 minutes I waited), that's 2,400 PCR tests per hour.

The final step was showing my bracelet to the guard stationed by the terminal exit. From there, I was free to enter Israel and head straight to my quarantine location.

For a country that locked its borders for over a year and a half, the entry process was seamless. The online pre-travel forms were self-explanatory and the entry process moved quickly.

It took me under 45 minutes from the moment the plane door opened until I was in the taxi on the way to my hotel.

As mentioned, the most surprising part was that none of my health documents were examined after checking in at JFK. (Israel notes that it performs "random document inspections" upon arrival.)

What it's like in Israel

After leaving the airport, I headed to my hotel in Tel Aviv, where I'd spend (at most) the first day of my trip.

Israel's quarantine regulations require that all inbound travelers isolate for 24 hours or until receipt of a negative result from the PCR test taken at the airport.

My test was conducted at 6:39 p.m. local time, and I received the (negative) result in my email the next morning at 6:18 a.m. This 12-hour turnaround time was much faster than the stated 24-30 hours. I've heard from friends and other travelers that the Ben Gurion testing site is consistently underpromising and overdelivering on turnaround times.

Armed with my negative result, my first order of business was to walk around Tel Aviv – exactly what I longed to do as I stared out at the Mediterranean Sea nearly a year ago to the day.

My five-mile walk took me past some of Tel Aviv's most popular attractions, including the Azrieli Mall, Sarona Market, Dizengoff Square, Rothschild Boulevard and the old city of Jaffa.

The streets were teeming with activity. Israelis were out in full force.

It was rare to see someone wearing a mask outside. More people wore them indoors, but the majority of patrons were unmasked.

All other major COVID-19 regulations have been suspended as long as you have a green pass ( tav yarok ), which you'll receive when filling out the online pre-departure form, as mentioned above.

Israel limits all indoor activities to those who've been vaccinated, recovered or recently tested negative through the country's green pass system.

To access the indoor space at restaurants, museums, gyms and any other cultural institutions or attractions, you'll need to present a valid green pass, along with photo identification (a foreign passport will suffice).

Though my green pass was checked at most restaurants I visited, I was only asked to show my passport at one establishment.

I've only been in Israel for two days, but I've been surprised at how few tourists I've seen. Places that would usually have long lines of tour buses (like the Carmel Market) were filled with locals and the occasional foreign family or group of friends.

I was especially surprised since nearly every flight I've monitored over the coming weeks from New York to Tel Aviv has been operating close to full capacity. Perhaps there's more pent-up demand from VFR traffic (visiting friends and relatives) than there is from tourists.

Either way, the country is alive and ready to welcome you, as hotels, shops, restaurants and cultural activities have all reopened.

Bottom line

What a difference a year — and three vaccine shots — can make. When I last visited Israel in late 2020, I was confined to my hotel room for my entire stay.

Israel officially reopened to tourists as of Nov. 1 with a multi-step process to enter the country. The quarantine period has been shortened to 24 hours (at most), and I was out exploring Tel Aviv within 12 hours of landing.

While the process might sound daunting on paper, I found it easy to follow.

Follow my how-to guide and planning a trip to Israel can once again become a reality.

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International Travel

Updated info for entering and leaving israel according to morbidity in israel and international, entry to israel, leaving israel, checking the policy before leaving israel.

Before leaving Israel it is important to check the destination's foreign national entry policies and requirements, as well as those of your airline or cruise company:

• COVID-19 tests requirements before arrival
• Required forms
• Restrictions on vaccination or recovery validity
• Isolation requirements
• Proof of vaccination or recovery (COVID-19 certificate)

Countries that can verify Israeli COVID-19 certificates

COVID Testing Before Leaving Israel

If according to your destination's entry policies, as well as those of your airline or cruise company, it is required to take a COVID test before leaving Israel, you can make an appointment in one of the hospitals providing private COVID-19 testing , or in any other approved testing facility that provides tests for the purpose of leaving Israel. Make sure that the result document is in English, and that it contains your passport number and your full name in English, as written in the passport.

Update April 12, 2024

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Latest Information for U.S. Citizens

Information for U.S. Citizens in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza

The Department reminds U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness as security incidents often take place without warning. The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events. Please see the latest Israel Security Alert .

U.S. citizens should heed the  Travel Advisory  for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. The U.S. Embassy continues to closely monitor the dynamic security situation in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. There are active military operations and active rocket and mortar fire in Gaza and the Gaza periphery.  Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Violence can occur in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza without warning. If you require emergency assistance while in Israel, the West Bank or Gaza, contact the  U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem  by email ([email protected]).

Individuals seeking to depart Gaza  through the Rafah crossing into Egypt should monitor the  Palestinian General Authority for Crossings and Borders’ Facebook Page  for a list of those approved to cross. U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or immediate family (as listed below) who desire our assistance and have not already provided their information to the Department of State, please email U.S. Embassy Jerusalem at  [email protected]  with a copy of the individual’s travel document as well as an explanation or proof of relationship.

The U.S. government does not control the crossing lists nor determine who is permitted to depart Gaza or enter Egypt. Individuals must assess their own safety and risks in attempting to cross the border. Individuals permitted to enter Egypt will likely receive a 72-hour Egyptian visa; all those who cross should have a plan for onward travel from Egypt in this timeframe. U.S. citizens, LPRs and their immediate family members who successfully enter Egypt and require further consular assistance should contact the  U.S. Embassy in Cairo  via the  U.S. Citizens Services Navigator .  Individuals may apply for a U.S. visa at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate; U.S. immigration laws and regulations will apply.

If a name has appeared on a crossing list since November 1, we understand those individuals will be permitted to cross as long as the border remains open for foreign nationals. We urge U.S. citizens, LPRs, and their immediate family members who have appeared on one of these lists to cross as soon as possible – there is no guarantee the border will remain open. We continue to work in partnership with Egypt and Israel towards safe passage for U.S. citizens, LPRs, and their immediate family members.

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• parents of U.S. citizens.

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Israelis, Palestinians grapple with slumping tourism after almost seven months of war

While tourism is gradually returning to israel, with some foreign airlines returning to fly in and out of the country as usual, the overall situation is not back to normal..

Tourism is yet to return to normal

"Remain Vigilant": India Issues Travel Advisory Over Israel-Iran Tensions

Earlier on April 14, the Indian embassy in Israel issued an advisory to Indian citizens in Israel to stay calm and adhere to the safety protocols issued by the local authorities.

Ministry of External Affairs said that India continues to closely monitor the situation in the region.

Amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday advised Indian nationals travelling to the two countries to "remain vigilant" and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy.

In response to a media query on travel advisory to Iran and Israel, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We continue to closely monitor the situation in the region. We have also noted that Iran and Israel have opened their airspace for several days now. We advise Indian nationals to remain vigilant while travelling to these countries and be in touch with the Indian Embassy."

The embassy further highlighted that they are closely monitoring the situation and are in touch with the Israeli authorities.

"In light of recent events in the region, all Indian nationals in Israel are advised to stay calm and adhere to the safety protocols issued by the local authorities (https://www.oref.org.il/en). Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with the Israeli authorities and Indian community members to ensure the safety of all our nationals," the Indian embassy in Israel said in a statement.

📢*IMPORTANT ADVISORY FOR INDIAN NATIONALS IN ISRAEL* Link : https://t.co/OEsz3oUtBJ pic.twitter.com/ZJJeu7hOug — India in Israel (@indemtel) April 14, 2024

The embassy further mentioned an emergency helpline number for Indian citizens in Israel.

"For any urgent assistance, please contact the Embassy at 24*7 Emergency Helpline/ContactTel: 1. +972-547520711, +972-543278392. Email: [email protected]," it stated.

Recently, two weeks ago Israel launched missile strikes against Tehran on April 19.

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The missile launches come after Iran launched several drones and missiles on April 13 towards Israel in retaliation for an alleged Israeli air strike on its consulate in Syria, resulting in the killing of three top Iranian generals.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Based in Copenhagen, Jacob oversees reporting from Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Specializes in security and geopolitics in the Arctic and Baltic Sea regions, as well as large corporates such as brewer Carlsberg and shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk. His most impactful reporting on Arctic issues include a report on how NATO allies are slowly waking up to Russian supremacy in the region, uncovering how Greenland represents a security black hole for Denmark and its allies, and how an abundance of critical minerals has proven a curse for Greenland. Before moving to Copenhagen in 2016, Jacob spent seven years in Moscow covering Russia's oil and gas industry for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal, followed by four years in Singapore covering energy markets for WSJ and Reuters. As a Russian speaker, he has been involved in covering the war in Ukraine. He publishes a newsletter each weekday focused on the most important regional and global news. Contact Jacob via email if you are interested in receiving the newsletter.

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Local elections live: 'Devastated' Tory candidate Andy Street refuses to blame Rishi Sunak after shock West Midlands defeat

Labour pulls off a stunning victory in the West Midlands mayoral election, with Tory incumbent Andy Street losing by just 1,508 votes.

Sunday 5 May 2024 00:22, UK

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• Labour wins West Midlands mayoral election
• 'Devastated' Street refuses to blame Sunak for loss
• Tory MP says 'awful' results should be 'massive wake-up call' in WhatsApps leaked to Sky News
• Khan heckled by losing candidate as he's declared winner of London mayoral election
• Darren McCaffrey:  London loss asks bigger questions of the Conservatives
• Andy Burnham re-elected as Greater Manchester mayor
• Lib Dems win more council seats than Tories in England
• Sam Coates:  Tory MPs sad but not mutinous
• Vote 2024:   Council results in full  |  Mayoral results in full
• Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill and (earlier)  Ben Bloch

Thanks for joining us for another extremely busy day of local election news. You can join us tomorrow morning for a special election episode of Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.

Until then, here are today's headlines:

• Tory incumbent Andy Street has suffered a shock loss to Labour in the West Midlands mayoral race in a major blow to the prime minister;
• Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has heralded the win as a "significant piece of political history";
• Sadiq Khan has won a historic third term as London mayor;
• Andy Burnham was re-elected as Greater Manchester mayor for a third term with more than 60% of the vote;
• Labour also won mayoral races in West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and Salford ;
• The results mean Labour has won all but one of the mayoral races they were contesting, losing Tees Valley to the Tory incumbent;
• The Conservatives have lost 473 seats and control of 12 councils;
• Labour has gained eight councils and 185 seats;
• The results mean the  Liberal Democrats  have won more council seats than the Conservatives;
• The  Green Party  has netted an extra 74 seats, making serious gains in places like Bristol.

Richard Parker has pulled off a surprise victory in the West Midlands mayoral election.

The Labour candidate unseated Andy Street, winning by just 1,508 votes, to end the Tory's seven-year term.

Here's what you need to know about the relatively unknown politician.

Originally from Bristol, Mr Parker's father was a dock worker and his mother a school secretary.

He left school aged 16 and went straight to work at a local port authority before getting an economics degree.

Mr Parker went to work for PwC in 1989, where he gained his accountancy qualifications and went on to become a partner, managing the accountancy firm's relationship with the Labour Party.

Mr Parker also worked with council leaders to set up the West Midlands Combined Authority in 2016 before leaving to set up his own company RP Strategy.

Read more here:

By Andy Hayes, news reporter

Tory incumbent Andy Street has suffered a shock defeat to Labour in the West Midlands mayoral election after a partial recount was ordered.

Labour's Richard Parker beat Mr Street by just 1,508 votes - 0.25% - to deliver a major blow to Rishi Sunak in the key electoral battleground after a hammering in the local elections.

With the race neck-and-neck, in the end it came down to the results in one borough - Labour-supporting Sandwell.

"This is the most important thing I will ever do," Mr Parker said in his acceptance speech.

"I promise you that I will deliver jobs," he added.

He told Sky News he would take buses "back into public control" and deliver the "largest programme of social housing we've had in this region for more than 40 years".

And he thanked his predecessor, who he said had "led this region through a number of great challenges and you deserve great credit for that".

Labour's win in the West Midlands has left Rishi Sunak with "just one man standing", Sky's  political editor Beth Rigby  says. 

The Conservatives have now lost all of the mayoral races in this election, with the exception of Tees Valley. 

Beth says one senior Labour figure has told her the West Midlands was the Tory scalp Labour really wanted - and were pulling resources from Tees Valley to make it happen.

"They were really fighting hard to take this Tory jewel from the crown," she says.

The "energy and the euphoria was palpable" within the Labour camp after victory was declared, Beth says .

"They were so wired, excited, euphoric about this win because for them it is huge."

She says you could feel among the Labour activists, and Sir Keir Starmer himself, that they are beginning to feel "they can really do this" in the general election.

Symbolically they can say "we took your crown jewel in the West Midlands and we are coming for those seats".

"It gives Starmer momentum and it will leave the Conservatives hugely deflated," she adds.

Labour's new mayor for the West Midlands Richard Parker tells Sky News he plans to "work really closely with a future Labour government".

"I think that's the best way for us to work together for the wider benefit of this region," he says.

Mr Parker defeated Tory incumbent Andy Street in a major blow to the Conservatives.

Labour's election success is a "vindication of the hard work that we've done to change the Labour Party," Sir Keir Starmer says.

He heralds the "phenomenal result" in the West Midlands, which saw Labour's Richard Parker defeat the Tory incumbent. 

But he says Labour is now stepping up again towards the general election "so that we can serve the working people once again as a new and changed party".

He is asked about the extent to which Labour's stance on the Gaza war has cost the party votes.

"Where we have not been able to persuade people who might otherwise have voted for Labour, it is important to acknowledge that - to say I have heard, I've listened and I am determined to meet the concerns they have and win back their trust and confidence."

"But nothing takes away from the significance of this victory here in the West Midlands," he says.

Labour's Richard Parker is appearing alongside Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer after winning the West Midlands mayoral race. 

"It's time for a fresh start ... we start on Monday," Mr Parker says to a loud applause.

Speaking next, Sir Keir declares: "What a way to end the local elections in 2024". 

"This is a significant piece of political history that we have made here today," he says.

Defeated Conservative mayor Andy Street tells Sky News he would advise against his party drifting to the right, saying his brand of "tolerant conservatism" has come "within an ace of beating the Labour Party".

"The thing everyone should take from Birmingham in the West Midlands tonight is this brand of moderate, inclusive, tolerant conservatism that gets on and delivered has come within an ace of beating the Labour Party in, what they considered to be their backyard," he says. 

"That's the message from here tonight."

Asked if he is worried the Conservative party is drifting to the right and over-emphasising the threat from Reform UK while "ignoring other voters", he said: "I would definitely not advise that drift.

"The psychology here is really very straight forward isn't it: this is the youngest, most diverse, one of the most urban places in Britain and we've done, many would say, extremely well over a consistent period.

"The message is clear: winning from that centre ground is what happens."

Mr Street lost to Labour's Richard Parker in the West Midlands mayoral race by a margin of 1,508 votes.

Defeated Conservative mayor Andy Street tells Sky News he is "hugely disappointed" and "devastated", but "incredibly proud" to lose by a small margin of votes in a region of millions, "given the situation the party finds itself in".

"Given that this has always been a place where some people said you should never have won in the first place, I'm actually very, very proud of what we've done," he says.

"I genuinely believed we were making real progress across the region on so many pieces.

"And for that to be closed off, that is disappointing in the extreme."

But he says "we did not persuade enough people that our record was as good as I believed it was, or that our plans for the future were exciting enough".

Asked if it was the national Conservative Party picture that led to his defeat, he said: "It was my campaign totally".

"I am not going to try to push responsibility anywhere else ... they'll be no sloping shoulders from me".

Defeated Conservative mayor Andy Street has said he is sorry he "couldn't make it the hat-trick" after losing to Labour's Richard Parker in the West Midlands mayoral race. 

In a short speech, Mr Street said it had been his "honour" to serve as mayor for the last seven years, telling his team "you will be back".

He says he hopes he has led with "dignity and integrity" and has "bequeathed to Richard a combined authority and indeed a role to which young aspiring leaders will want to aspire one day".

"In a sense, I can have done no more than that," he said.

Mr Street thanked his fellow candidates, including Mr Parker, for a "very courteous campaign", wishing Mr Parker "all strength and wisdom as he takes on this role".

"Thank you and goodnight," he concluded.

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