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Early local election results suggest UKIP gains Early local election results suggest UKIP gains
(35 minutes later)
Early indications suggest that UKIP may be on course to make gains in the English local elections. Early indications suggest UKIP is on course to make big further big gains in town halls across England.
There was a big swing to the party in Sunderland - the first council to declare results - and it has made its first gain in Basildon, Essex. The party is picking up council seats and is seeing a surge in its share of the vote, at the expense of both Labour and the Conservatives.
The election is the biggest test of public opinion before next year's general election.The election is the biggest test of public opinion before next year's general election.
The Lib Dems are braced for a "difficult night" as results come in from 161 councils in England. The Lib Dems are braced for a difficult night as results come in from 161 councils in England.
Some 11 councils in Northern Ireland are also up for grabs.Some 11 councils in Northern Ireland are also up for grabs.
A handful of Conservative backbenchers have called for an electoral pact with UKIP going into the general election, with Jacob-Rees-Mogg warning UKIP could split the "small c Conservative vote" and let Labour in. The apparent surge in support for UKIP, which comes on top of big gains at last year's local elections, has sent shockwaves through the main parties at Westminster.
Writing in the Telegraph newspaper Douglas Carswell said that it looks as if the "Tories may have finished third" in Thursday's polls. 'Unforgivably unprofessional'
Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps rejected the idea of a pact, saying there was "no question of a pact per se". Labour MP Graham Stringer, who wants an in/out EU referendum, said it was now clear his party was not going to do as well as it expected in the European and local elections, with UKIP eating into its vote in traditional Labour heartlands.
UKIP's chairman Steve Crowther also poured cold water on any suggestion of a deal with the Tories. The Blakeley and Broughton MP launched an attack on his own party's local and European campaign calling it "unforgivably unprofessional".
Early indications from Sunderland and Hull, where UKIP won 28% of the vote in both cases, suggest Nigel Farage's party is making inroads in traditional Labour heartlands, although it is not yet gaining enough support to win seats. He told the BBC "we have not done as well as we should have done in both the presentation of our policies and the organisation of the campaign".
UKIP has won two seats in Basildon, however, a key election battleground in Essex. He said: "The centrepiece of our campaign has been the cost of living and Ed didn't know his own cost of living, he didn't know how much he was spending on shopping."
It is still very early days but Labour's Chuka Umunna has told the BBC the UK is now "undoubtedly in an era of four-party politics". Mr Stringer, a longstanding critic who wants an in/out EU referendum, said the referendum was a "real trust issue", even if it was not the first subject raised on the doorstep.
Lib Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable has already taken to television studios to warn his party to prepare for difficult news. Labour's shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna rejected the criticisms, but said it was now clear the UK was in an era of "four-party politics".
But speaking on Sky News he said supporters would be "pleasantly surprised" in areas where the party is well-organised. Some Conservative backbenchers have called for an electoral pact with UKIP going into the general election, with Jacob-Rees-Mogg warning UKIP could split the "small c Conservative vote" and let Labour in.
The Lib Dem vote is down an average of 14% on 2010 so far. Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps rejected a formal deal between the two parties, saying there was "no question of a pact per se".
'UKIP pact' call UKIP's chairman Steve Crowther also poured cold water on the suggestion.
Labour's vote is down 16% on 2010. The party is treating the local elections as a dry-run for the 2015 general election, ruthlessly targeting battleground seats it needs to win at Westminster. From the few results in so far the anti-EU party is averaging 29% of the vote where they fielded candidates - 16 points up in the wards it last fought in 2012.
Ed Miliband's party is under pressure to show it can make gains outside of its northern heartlands - but it is probably in the best position to make gains in London. 'Out-of-touch elite'
As senior figures in the party predicted, it is looking like another bad night for the Liberal Democrats, with support down 16% on its 2010 performance.
Business Secretary Vince Cable admitted it was going to be a bad night but told Sky News supporters would be "pleasantly surprised" in areas where the party is well-organised.
Liberal Democrat MP Jeremy Browne - until late last year a Home Office minister - described UKIP's appeal as a "a big two fingers stuck up... to a hectoring out-of-touch elite".
He told the BBC's Question Time some its supporters "may be sexist and racist" but that other parties should "spend a little bit of time" understanding why it was attracting protest votes.
Labour - which is targeting the battleground seats it needs to win Westminster next year - is down 16% on 2010.
Ed Miliband's party is under pressure to show it can make gains outside of its northern heartlands - but is probably in the best position to make gains in London, where most results are not expected until after sunrise on Friday.
ExpectationsExpectations
In contrast to most of the rest of England, where a third of seats on local councils were up for grabs, every seat in all 32 London boroughs was being contested on Thursday, raising the prospect of a dramatic redrawing of the capital's political map.In contrast to most of the rest of England, where a third of seats on local councils were up for grabs, every seat in all 32 London boroughs was being contested on Thursday, raising the prospect of a dramatic redrawing of the capital's political map.
A Labour source told the BBC its results in the capital look strong - especially in Croydon and Tower Hamlets.A Labour source told the BBC its results in the capital look strong - especially in Croydon and Tower Hamlets.
If the party has a good night, it will also take Barnet and Hammersmith and Fulham from the Conservatives.If the party has a good night, it will also take Barnet and Hammersmith and Fulham from the Conservatives.
The first London results are expected after 03:00 BST.
Election experts Professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher believe Labour will gain between 490 and 500 council seats - but party sources were playing down expectations, suggesting 150 to 200 gains would represent a good night.Election experts Professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher believe Labour will gain between 490 and 500 council seats - but party sources were playing down expectations, suggesting 150 to 200 gains would represent a good night.
The Conservatives were defending 1,574 seats and 53 councils in England they currently control, including Trafford, Solihull, Milton Keynes, Croydon and Barnet.The Conservatives were defending 1,574 seats and 53 councils in England they currently control, including Trafford, Solihull, Milton Keynes, Croydon and Barnet.
Rallings and Thrasher believe David Cameron's party can expect to lose about 200 seats.Rallings and Thrasher believe David Cameron's party can expect to lose about 200 seats.
Braced for losses
UKIP is expected to make gains in town halls across England. It is unlikely to take control of any local authorities outright but, if it has a good night, could become the official opposition in more areas.
Liberal Democrat MP Jeremy Browne - until late last year a Home Office minister - described UKIP's appeal as a "a big two fingers stuck up... to a hectoring out-of-touch elite".
He told the BBC's Question Time some its supporters "may be sexist and racist" but that other parties should "spend a little bit of time" understanding why it was attracting protest votes.
Last year Nigel Farage's party won a lot of seats in Kent and Lancashire. It is hoping to repeat this performance in areas like Great Yarmouth, Basildon and Eastleigh, a Lib Dem stronghold it almost took at a Westminster by-election.
The Lib Dems fear further heavy losses in the European election, with some senior party figures predicting it could lose all 12 of its MEPs.
The Green Party overtook the Lib Dems in some opinion polls and is hoping to double its number of MEPs to four - it is also targeting areas where it has a strong activist base at the local elections such as Camden and Westminster.The Green Party overtook the Lib Dems in some opinion polls and is hoping to double its number of MEPs to four - it is also targeting areas where it has a strong activist base at the local elections such as Camden and Westminster.
Mayoral elections took place in the London boroughs Hackney, Lewisham, Newham - all with Labour incumbents seeking their fourth consecutive term - and in Tower Hamlets, where controversial independent mayor Lutfur Rahman was battling to retain power. Lib Dem Dorothy Thornhill was fighting to remain mayor of Watford.Mayoral elections took place in the London boroughs Hackney, Lewisham, Newham - all with Labour incumbents seeking their fourth consecutive term - and in Tower Hamlets, where controversial independent mayor Lutfur Rahman was battling to retain power. Lib Dem Dorothy Thornhill was fighting to remain mayor of Watford.
In Northern Ireland, voters were electing 462 representatives to 11 so-called "super districts" following a reorganisation that took place in 2012, reducing the number of councils from 26 previously.In Northern Ireland, voters were electing 462 representatives to 11 so-called "super districts" following a reorganisation that took place in 2012, reducing the number of councils from 26 previously.
There were no local elections in either Scotland or Wales.There were no local elections in either Scotland or Wales.