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European elections 2019: First UK results declared | |
(32 minutes later) | |
The first UK results have been declared in the EU Parliament elections, after the polls closed across Europe. | |
Voting took place against the backdrop of Brexit, with both main parties expecting to be punished for the current paralysis at Westminster. | |
Polling expert John Curtice predicted that The Brexit Party would come first and the Lib Dems second. | |
The North East region is the first to declare - Nigel Farage's party has gained two MEPs, Labour has one. | |
Prof Curtice said at 39%, The Brexit Party vote in the North East - a strongly Leave area - is 10 points up on what UKIP achieved in 2017. | |
Meanwhile, there was as much as a 13.5% swing from Labour to Lib Dem, easily enough to put the Lib Dems into second place nationally. The Conservative vote is down 11 points. | |
All 28 EU member states are electing MEPs, and countries have been voting since Thursday. | All 28 EU member states are electing MEPs, and countries have been voting since Thursday. |
The UK will be electing 73 MEPs for its 12 regions under a system of proportional representation. | The UK will be electing 73 MEPs for its 12 regions under a system of proportional representation. |
Figures so far suggest that the turnout in some areas has risen sharply, while others have seen a fall compared to the last election in 2014. | Figures so far suggest that the turnout in some areas has risen sharply, while others have seen a fall compared to the last election in 2014. |
Wales saw the highest increase in turnout, with a five percentage point increase to 37.3%. The South East, South West and North East also saw a boost in the number of people casting their vote. | Wales saw the highest increase in turnout, with a five percentage point increase to 37.3%. The South East, South West and North East also saw a boost in the number of people casting their vote. |
But in Northern Ireland turnout fell nearly six percentage points to 45.1%, while smaller drops were also recorded in the West Midlands, North West and Eastern regions. | But in Northern Ireland turnout fell nearly six percentage points to 45.1%, while smaller drops were also recorded in the West Midlands, North West and Eastern regions. |
The total turnout in 2014, in terms of valid votes cast, was 35.4%. | The total turnout in 2014, in terms of valid votes cast, was 35.4%. |
Race for second | |
Early results show increases in Green support, suggesting they may also be heading for better than the 8% that they won in 2014. | |
The newly-formed, Remain-supporting Change UK has so far have registered 3%, suggesting that the forecast of the polls that they would perform poorly has been correct. | |
Prof Curtice said: "It is not unlikely that the initial interest in tonight's results, apart from how well the Brexit Party does, is the status of the race for second place - some polling has suggested it is close between Labour and the Lib Dems." | |
He said that for the Lib Dems to overtake Labour they need just over a 9% swing across Britain as a whole. | |
"So whether or not they meet this target in the early results could well prove to be a crucial indicator to the overall picture tonight," he said. | |
Both of our big main parties expect to be punished very severely for the meltdown in Westminster over Brexit. | |
The flip-side for the smaller parties? The Lib Dems are feeling buoyant and of course, Nigel Farage is back with a vengeance. | |
It is possible if the Brexit Party are top that they will have a very profound impact on what comes next in the UK's attempts to leave the EU. |