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| Local elections: Polls close across England and in Anglesey | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Polls have closed in council elections across England, in Anglesey in Wales and for the South Shields by-election. | Polls have closed in council elections across England, in Anglesey in Wales and for the South Shields by-election. |
| The contests in 27 English county councils and seven unitary authorities are a crucial mid-term test for the Lib Dem and Tory coalition partners. | The contests in 27 English county councils and seven unitary authorities are a crucial mid-term test for the Lib Dem and Tory coalition partners. |
| Labour is under pressure to win back hundreds of seats lost in 2009 and make progress in the south of England. | Labour is under pressure to win back hundreds of seats lost in 2009 and make progress in the south of England. |
| The party is also defending South Shields in a Westminster contest caused by David Miliband's resignation. | The party is also defending South Shields in a Westminster contest caused by David Miliband's resignation. |
| Labour are favourites to hold the seat - set to be declared in the early hours of Friday - but the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the UK Independence Party (UKIP) were expected to come ahead of the Conservatives in second place. | |
| Six councils - Lincolnshire, Dorset, Somerset, Essex, Gloucestershire and Hampshire - are also due to report their results overnight with the majority of counts taking place on Friday. | |
| UKIP surge | UKIP surge |
| Nearly 10,000 candidates were battling for seats in councils across England - they are "top-tier" authorities in charge of schools, roads, refuse collection, fire and rescue and other local services. | Nearly 10,000 candidates were battling for seats in councils across England - they are "top-tier" authorities in charge of schools, roads, refuse collection, fire and rescue and other local services. |
| Labour is expected to claw back ground in the Midlands and north of England lost in 2009 when it had the worst night at the polls in its history. | Labour is expected to claw back ground in the Midlands and north of England lost in 2009 when it had the worst night at the polls in its history. |
| But party strategists are playing down expectations of major gains, stressing the elections were mainly taking place in Tory heartlands across the south of England. | But party strategists are playing down expectations of major gains, stressing the elections were mainly taking place in Tory heartlands across the south of England. |
| The campaign was dominated by a war of words between the Conservatives and UKIP, which senior Tories fear will take a significant chunk of their votes. | |
| UKIP is riding high in the opinion polls after its second place in last month's Eastleigh by-election and is fielding more than 1,700 candidates - three times the number that stood in 2009, when the party won just seven seats. | UKIP is riding high in the opinion polls after its second place in last month's Eastleigh by-election and is fielding more than 1,700 candidates - three times the number that stood in 2009, when the party won just seven seats. |
| Opinion is divided over how many seats they could win this time but UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said he wants to establish a "bridgehead" on local councils across England. | Opinion is divided over how many seats they could win this time but UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said he wants to establish a "bridgehead" on local councils across England. |
| 'Difficult choices' | 'Difficult choices' |
| Prime Minister David Cameron has held back from attacking UKIP by name but acknowledged voters liked to punish governing parties between general elections. | Prime Minister David Cameron has held back from attacking UKIP by name but acknowledged voters liked to punish governing parties between general elections. |
| "Of course it's mid-term, the government has had to make difficult decisions, we're responsible for making a series of difficult cuts and difficult choices," the Tory leader told BBC News on Wednesday. | "Of course it's mid-term, the government has had to make difficult decisions, we're responsible for making a series of difficult cuts and difficult choices," the Tory leader told BBC News on Wednesday. |
| "I think people understand that but often it's not welcome and often it can lead to people feeling frustrated." | "I think people understand that but often it's not welcome and often it can lead to people feeling frustrated." |
| Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has not ruled out coming fourth to UKIP in the projected national share of the vote. | Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has not ruled out coming fourth to UKIP in the projected national share of the vote. |
| "UKIP beat us in 2009; a year later we won 24% of the vote in the general election and UKIP were nowhere," the deputy prime minister told Channel 4 News. | "UKIP beat us in 2009; a year later we won 24% of the vote in the general election and UKIP were nowhere," the deputy prime minister told Channel 4 News. |
| UKIP is also hoping for a good result in Labour heartland South Shields, with Labour sources suggesting it could get as much as 30% of the vote. | |
| Former Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who was re-elected in 2010 with a reduced 11,109 majority, quit as the town's MP to work for the International Rescue Committee in New York. | Former Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who was re-elected in 2010 with a reduced 11,109 majority, quit as the town's MP to work for the International Rescue Committee in New York. |
| Mayoral contests | Mayoral contests |
| Local council elections were also being held in Anglesey in Wales, which is currently classified as No Overall Control but is dominated by independents. | Local council elections were also being held in Anglesey in Wales, which is currently classified as No Overall Control but is dominated by independents. |
| No other elections took place in Wales. | No other elections took place in Wales. |
| The Conservatives and Labour were contesting most local election seats, with 2,263 and 2,168 candidates respectively. | The Conservatives and Labour were contesting most local election seats, with 2,263 and 2,168 candidates respectively. |
| The Lib Dems had 1,763 candidates. UKIP fielded 1,745 candidates and the Greens had 893. | The Lib Dems had 1,763 candidates. UKIP fielded 1,745 candidates and the Greens had 893. |
| Other parties standing included the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, which fought 120 seats, the BNP, with 99 candidates and the English Democrats, with 38 candidates. There were about 900 independent candidates. | |
| Votes were also held in mayoral elections in Doncaster, where incumbent Peter Davies, who resigned from the English Democrats, is fighting for re-election as an independent, and North Tyneside. | Votes were also held in mayoral elections in Doncaster, where incumbent Peter Davies, who resigned from the English Democrats, is fighting for re-election as an independent, and North Tyneside. |
| No elections took place in London, Scotland or Northern Ireland. | No elections took place in London, Scotland or Northern Ireland. |