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| Local elections: UKIP makes gains as Tories defend council strongholds | |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| The UK Independence Party have made early gains as the results of council elections across England are declared. | |
| UKIP are averaging 26% of the vote in the wards where they are standing and have taken 11 seats in Lincolnshire. | |
| Labour are looking to make gains in the south of England but the Conservatives have retained control of Dorset, Essex, Hertfordshire and Hampshire councils. | |
| Contests are taking place in 27 English county councils and seven unitary authorities and Anglesey in Wales. | |
| Labour has also won the parliamentary by-election in South Shields, but saw its majority cut while Labour also took the North Tyneside mayoral contest from the Conservatives. | |
| About 2,300 council seats are up for grabs in England, in a major mid-term test for the coalition government. | |
| Lincolnshire and Somerset are due to declare in the next few hours, with the Conservatives at risk of losing control of both local authorities. | |
| However, the majority of counts are 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. | 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. | 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. | 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, one in Dorset 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. | 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. | 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. | 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." | "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. | 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. | "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." | "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 |
| Labour candidate Norma Redfearn won the North Tyneside mayoral election, defeating Conservative incumbent Linda Arkley by 27,905 to 18,083 votes. | |
| The result of the Doncaster mayoral contest, where incumbent Peter Davies, who resigned from the English Democrats, is fighting for re-election as an independent, | |
| The Conservatives and Labour contested 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. | 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 elections took place in London, Scotland or Northern Ireland. | No elections took place in London, Scotland or Northern Ireland. |