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Local elections: Counting taking place across England Local elections: Counting taking place across England
(about 3 hours later)
Counting is taking place in council elections in England and in the South Shields parliamentary by-election. First results are coming in from council elections in England, amid signs that the UK Independence Party will make striking gains.
The contests in 27 English county councils and seven unitary authorities, as well as in Anglesey in Wales, are a crucial mid-term test for the Lib Dem and Conservative coalition partners. Early declarations saw UKIP take 11 seats in Lincolnshire, while Labour captured a Conservative seat in Dorset.
Labour is under pressure to win back hundreds of seats lost in 2009. Contests are taking place in 27 English county councils and seven unitary authorities.
The party is also defending South Shields in a Westminster contest caused by David Miliband's resignation. Labour has also won the parliamentary by-election in South Shields, but saw its majority cut.
Labour are favourites to retain the seat - set to be declared in the early hours of Friday - having held it since 1935. Labour retained the seat, which it has held since 1935, as UKIP pushed the Conservatives into second place.
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 reporting their results overnight with the majority of counts taking place later on Friday.
The BBC understands UKIP could get as much as 30% of the vote, which would be a record performance for the party in a parliamentary contest.
Mr Miliband, who quit as an MP to work for a US-based charity, won the seat in 2010 with a 11,109 majority.
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 surgeUKIP 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 English councils - "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.
In an early success, it took a seat from the Conservatives in Dorset on a 12% swing.
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.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 and fielded more than 1,700 candidates - three times the number that stood in 2009, when the party won just seven council 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. Early declarations saw UKIP take 11 seats in Lincolnshire and the party was polling 12 points higher, on average, in wards where it stood in 2009.
Its leader Nigel Farage said he expected to win "dozens" of county council seats and take votes from all other parties, not just the Conservatives.
Polling expert Professor John Curtice said UKIP was on the verge of a "remarkable performance" and it was a "serious challenge" to the established parties.
'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. International Development Secretary Justine Greening told the BBC that the Conservatives would look "really seriously" at what voters were saying.
"I think people understand that but often it's not welcome and often it can lead to people feeling frustrated." "I think a lot of what we are trying to do as a government is responding to that - on cost of living, on making sure that services are good but also fixing our financial problems."
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has not ruled out coming fourth to UKIP in the projected national share of the vote. Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said UKIP's rise was a "wake-up call" to other parties.
"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. "We should listen very seriously if people are feeling disaffected and disenchanted," she said on the BBC's Question Time programme.
"It is a challenge to us, it's a wake-up call for us to actually listen to people who feel that times are hard and wonder whether any of us have actually got the answers."
Mayoral contestsMayoral 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.
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 Lib Dems had 1,763 candidates. UKIP fielded 1,745 candidates and the Greens had 893.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.
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.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.
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.
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.