This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8088133.stm

The article has changed 36 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 13 Version 14
BNP wins European Parliament seat BNP wins European Parliament seat
(20 minutes later)
The British National Party has won its first seat in the European Parliament after gaining more than 120,000 votes in the Yorkshire and Humber region. The BNP has won its first MEP in what is shaping up to be an historic defeat for Labour in the European elections.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham said the BNP win was a "sad moment". The BNP candidate said it was the "first step to freedom" from EU "dictatorship".
Labour could be on course to dip below 20% of the vote in what Harriet Harman has called a "very dismal" night.Labour could be on course to dip below 20% of the vote in what Harriet Harman has called a "very dismal" night.
After the first three English regions to declare, Labour is third on 15.9% of the vote behind the Tories on 26.8% and UKIP on 18.1%. The party lost 12% of its vote in Wales, where they were beaten by the Tories first time since 1918.
There are still nine regions to declare their results. The BNP won its first MEP, Andrew Brons, after gaining more than 120,000 votes in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
But if repeated across the UK it will pile pressure on Gordon Brown, who is facing calls to stand down as PM. With results starting to flow in, Labour looks on course to dip below 20% of the overall vote share - an historic low which will increase pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is facing calls to stand down.
The Conservatives won easily in the East of England, although their share of the vote remained roughly the same as in 2004 - as did that of UKIP, which came second and the Lib Dems, who came third.The Conservatives won easily in the East of England, although their share of the vote remained roughly the same as in 2004 - as did that of UKIP, which came second and the Lib Dems, who came third.
But Labour's vote was down 6% as the Greens and the BNP both increased their share.But Labour's vote was down 6% as the Greens and the BNP both increased their share.
Earlier, Labour won the most votes in the North-East of England in the first UK European election result - but its share of the vote was down 9% on 2004. Labour won the most votes in the North-East of England in the first UK European election result - but its share of the vote was down 9% on 2004.
Victorious Labour candidate Stephen Hughes blamed the Westminster expenses scandal for his party's difficulties but said he was firmly behind Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Conservative Martin Callanan and Liberal Democrat Fiona Hall were second and third respectively - retaining their seats.
UKIP were narrowly beaten into fourth by the Liberal Democrats by just 13,000 votes.
The North East is regarded as one of Labour's strongest regions, although they have been under pressure in recent years from both the Tories and the Lib Dems.The North East is regarded as one of Labour's strongest regions, although they have been under pressure in recent years from both the Tories and the Lib Dems.
We would expect a lower share of the vote there than in the local elections on Thursday William HagueConservatives Falconer urges leadership debate Brown defiant over leadershipWe would expect a lower share of the vote there than in the local elections on Thursday William HagueConservatives Falconer urges leadership debate Brown defiant over leadership
Labour Chief Whip and key Gordon Brown ally Nick Brown said: "What our voters have been telling us on the doorstep is that they are staying at home. They are disappointed in us." Labour Harman told the BBC: "We are bracing ourselves for very dismal results, there is no doubt about that."
But he urged Labour rebels, such as former minister Lord Falconer who are calling for a new leader, to either nominate a challenger or "all get behind the prime minister and the government".
"We should all stick together and do what the country wants us to do - deal with the mess of Parliamentary expenses and get us through the economic downturn," he told the BBC News Channel.
Ms Harman told the BBC: "We are bracing ourselves for very dismal results, there is no doubt about that."
But she sought to deflect attention from the prime minister, putting the blame for Labour's performance on the MPs' expenses which she said had hit the party hard.But she sought to deflect attention from the prime minister, putting the blame for Labour's performance on the MPs' expenses which she said had hit the party hard.
"Our supporters are absolutely furious with us about expenses," she said. "They expect us to have higher standards than the Tories.""Our supporters are absolutely furious with us about expenses," she said. "They expect us to have higher standards than the Tories."
Close battleClose battle
On the results declared so far in English local authority areas, Labour's vote appears to be well down on 2004 and it seems highly likely that they will have considerably less than 20% overall share - an historic low for the party in a national election. But former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer repeated his call for a new leader to re-unify the party.
Labour seems to be in a close battle with UKIP for second place, the Lib Dem vote seems to be holding up and the Conservatives appear to be struggling to maintain their share on last time, although they are still likely to gain the most overall. "I think unity will only come with a leader that the mainstream votes for," he said.
The Greens will be up 2-3% and the BNP may just do well enough to pick up a seat, although it is too early to tell. Elsewhere, in the South East, with half the votes counted, Labour was trailing in fifth place behind the Greens, with Ukip in second place behind the Tories and the Lib Dems in third.
Reports from Wales suggest Conservatives may come top in the European elections in there, the first time Labour would not a poll in Wales since 1918, and UKIP could win one of the four seats up for grabs. In Scotland, the Nationalists were outpolling Labour by a clear margin in the early results.
There are predictions the SNP could take the largest share of the vote in Scotland. The SNP looked certain to finish the night ahead of Labour in the popular vote - achieving the goal which SNP leader Alex Salmond had set his party.
'Huge success' Overall, shadow foreign secretary William Hague expressed confidence that the Tories would top the national poll with around the same share of the vote as in 2004.
Voting took place on Thursday in the UK but the results could not be declared before 2100 BST on Sunday when voting finished across Europe. "We are advancing in all parts of the country," he said.
In the English local elections held on Thursday the Conservatives got a projected 38% of the vote, the Lib Dems 28% and Labour 23%.In the English local elections held on Thursday the Conservatives got a projected 38% of the vote, the Lib Dems 28% and Labour 23%.
But in the European elections it is expected that the UK Independence Party will equal or better its performance from 2004 when it beat the Lib Dems into fourth place.
This time they are hoping to get more votes than Labour - a result which would add to the already rising pressure on Gordon Brown.
Well, Charlie Falconer... does make the case that any likely alternative leader would do better at an election at any time than Gordon Brown Nick Robinson Read more from Nick
The Conservatives put in a strong performance in the local elections in England - taking four councils Labour had held since 1981, two from the Liberal Democrats and winning power on the newly created Central Bedfordshire unitary authority.
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said the English elections had been a "huge success" for the Tories but added: "We will see what the European elections are like later today.
"I think with those it is important to remember that in a proportional voting system... that does help the extremist and fringe and minor parties and does fragment the result so obviously we would expect a lower share of the vote there than in the local elections on Thursday."
'Big choice'
The UK Independence Party have already threatened to challenge the result because of a row over the way some ballot papers were folded which meant its box was hidden at the bottom.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said he will resign if the party wins less than 10 seats - at the 2004 elections the party won 12 - three have since left the party.
The Liberal Democrats, the most pro-European of the major parties, were pushed into fourth place by UKIP in the 2004 elections.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage looks pleased at the South East of England count
They say the elections are a "big choice for Britain" and warn isolation from Europe will make Britain less secure in terms of climate change, crime and terrorism.
All the main parties have expressed concerns that voters could use elections for the European Parliament to punish them for the MPs' expenses row.
But some of the smaller parties are hoping to benefit - the Greens, who gained two MEPs in 2004, say their track record has been "exemplary".
And there has been speculation that the British National Party could increase its share of the vote enough to get its first MEP elected.
In the 2004 European elections the Conservatives won 26.7% of votes, Labour 22.6%, UKIP 16.1%, the Lib Dems 14.9%, the Greens 6.3% and the BNP 4.9%.In the 2004 European elections the Conservatives won 26.7% of votes, Labour 22.6%, UKIP 16.1%, the Lib Dems 14.9%, the Greens 6.3% and the BNP 4.9%.