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Vote 2014: Conservatives lose councils to UKIP's rise No Conservative pact with UKIP, says David Cameron
(about 5 hours later)
There will "absolutely not" be a deal done between the Conservatives and UKIP after the Eurosceptics' gains in the council elections, Education Secretary Michael Gove has said. David Cameron has said there will be no pact with UKIP after the Eurosceptics' gains in the council elections.
The Tories bore the brunt of Nigel Farage's party's successes, leading some MPs to call for a partnership. The prime minister said the Conservatives would be fighting for an "all-out win" at next year's general election.
With 63 councils declared, the Tories had lost control of eight authorities. With 119 councils declared, the party had lost 171 seats overall, and had lost control of 11 councils.
But in a straight fight with the Lib Dems they have gained control of Kingston-upon-Thames. But in a straight fight with the Lib Dems they gained control of Kingston-upon-Thames.
With some results still to be declared in the south west London borough, the Tories had picked up more than half of the seats. Mr Cameron said the Tories' vote share had gone up since last year, pointing to councils held in Swindon and Tamworth.
UKIP's success has led some Tory MPs to call for a partnership between the parties.
But Mr Cameron said: "We are the Conservative Party. We don't do pacts and deals. We are fighting all out for an all-out win at the next election."
'Immensely proud''Immensely proud'
In Southend, the Tories lost six seats and overall control of the council as UKIP picked up five seats. He added: "I'm confident that in spite of the difficulties, this is a base from which we can go forward and win."
And the damage done to the Conservative vote by UKIP was underlined in Basildon, where Nigel Farage's party gained 11 seats, with the Conservatives losing overall control. With the majority of councils declared, key results for the Tories included:
Labour also looked set for what it called a "historic" victory in Croydon.
However, UKIP's rise also stopped Labour taking some Tory-held target councils, such as Tamworth and Swindon.
As the polls closed, Prime Minister David Cameron appeared to anticipate some losses, telling party campaigners in an email: "Whatever the results, I feel immensely proud of the campaign we fought together."
Prof John Curtice, of the University of Strathclyde, said the Conservatives' losses looked in line with what was anticipated, but said there was "no sign in these results of the party finally beginning to profit from economic recovery".Prof John Curtice, of the University of Strathclyde, said the Conservatives' losses looked in line with what was anticipated, but said there was "no sign in these results of the party finally beginning to profit from economic recovery".
UKIP's success in the early results led some backbenchers, including Eurosceptics such as Douglas Carswell, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Peter Bone, to call for an electoral pact with Nigel Farage's party at the 2015 general election.UKIP's success in the early results led some backbenchers, including Eurosceptics such as Douglas Carswell, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Peter Bone, to call for an electoral pact with Nigel Farage's party at the 2015 general election.
'Private transaction''Private transaction'
Mr Rees-Mogg told the BBC he feared the two parties could split the centre-right vote: "In a first-past-the-post system, if they don't get those votes into one pot, then both those sides end up losing."Mr Rees-Mogg told the BBC he feared the two parties could split the centre-right vote: "In a first-past-the-post system, if they don't get those votes into one pot, then both those sides end up losing."
However, Tory chairman Grant Shapps said there was "no question" of it happening.However, Tory chairman Grant Shapps said there was "no question" of it happening.
This was reiterated by Mr Gove, who told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The reason why is that, if you try to have an arrangement whereby you say to any political leader, 'I'll parcel up my votes and you parcel up your votes, and let's trade them in some private transaction', politics doesn't work like that. And it shouldn't. This was reiterated by Education Secretary Michael Gove, who told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The reason why is that, if you try to have an arrangement whereby you say to any political leader, 'I'll parcel up my votes and you parcel up your votes, and let's trade them in some private transaction', politics doesn't work like that. And it shouldn't.
"What we need to do is to recognise that Nigel Farage and others have articulated the concerns and the anger of a section of the electorate. Those concerns, that anger is legitimate."What we need to do is to recognise that Nigel Farage and others have articulated the concerns and the anger of a section of the electorate. Those concerns, that anger is legitimate.
"We, as government, have policies that I believe answer those concerns. We must not for a second dismiss the degree of concern that people have, which has prompted them to vote for UKIP. What we must do is ensure that our policies deliver.""We, as government, have policies that I believe answer those concerns. We must not for a second dismiss the degree of concern that people have, which has prompted them to vote for UKIP. What we must do is ensure that our policies deliver."
Conservative supporters will now be bracing themselves for the results of the European elections, which will be revealed on Sunday after voters cast their ballots on Thursday. The Tories currently have twice as many MEPs as any other British party, with 26. Conservative supporters will now be bracing themselves for the results of the European elections, which will be revealed on Sunday. The Tories currently have twice as many MEPs as any other British party, with 26.