UKIP Big Winners in Local Elections

Photograph by Jennifer Jane Mills

UKIP appear to be the big winners in the local elections as the results come in, having won 42 of the seats so far and averaging 26% of the vote according to BBC estimates.

Their success was greater than predicted even by the party leadership, with Nigel Farage hailing the gains as “remarkable”, putting his party in a strong position going into the next general election in 2015.

Much of the UKIP success comes at the expense of the Conservatives, but they also gained seats from the Liberal Democrats as voters protested about austerity measures and the continued stagnation of the economy. UKIP has won its first ever seats on Hampshire council, and 16 seats in Lincolnshire, stripping the Tories of their control of the county council.

The Green Party won its first ever seats in Essex, but lost its seat on Hampshire council.

Labour have also made modest gains in the elections in the midlands and south of England, but most of the counts for the 2,300 council seats in England are still to take place. Labour’s Emma Lewell-Buck also won the parliamentary by-election in the Labour-stronghold of South Shields which the party has held since 1935.

The Lib Dems only managed 352 votes in South Shields, putting the party in seventh place behind the BNP with half their number received, which is not enough votes to get back their deposit.

Only seven councils have been declared so far.