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Local elections: Counting taking place across England | Local elections: Counting taking place across England |
(about 3 hours later) | |
First results are coming in from council elections in England, amid signs that the UK Independence Party will make striking gains. | |
Early declarations saw UKIP take 11 seats in Lincolnshire, while Labour captured a Conservative seat in Dorset. | |
Contests are taking place in 27 English county councils and seven unitary authorities. | |
Labour has also won the parliamentary by-election in South Shields, but saw its majority cut. | |
Labour retained the seat, which it has held since 1935, as UKIP pushed the Conservatives into 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. | |
UKIP surge | UKIP surge |
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 and fielded more than 1,700 candidates - three times the number that stood in 2009, when the party won just seven council seats. | |
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. |
International Development Secretary Justine Greening told the BBC that the Conservatives would look "really seriously" at what voters were saying. | |
"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." | |
Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said UKIP's rise was a "wake-up call" to other parties. | |
"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 contests | Mayoral contests |
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. |