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| Tories hail 'European advances' | Tories hail 'European advances' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Conservatives have hailed solid European elections as evidence they are making progress across the country. | The Conservatives have hailed solid European elections as evidence they are making progress across the country. |
| With results declared in every region bar the Western Isles and Northern Ireland, the Tories have secured 28.6% of the vote, up from 26.7% in 2004. | With results declared in every region bar the Western Isles and Northern Ireland, the Tories have secured 28.6% of the vote, up from 26.7% in 2004. |
| The Tories polled the most votes in all but one English region and pushed Labour into second place in Wales. | The Tories polled the most votes in all but one English region and pushed Labour into second place in Wales. |
| David Cameron said he was "delighted" with the performance and repeated his call for a general election. | |
| Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said the party was "advancing" in all areas of the country. | Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said the party was "advancing" in all areas of the country. |
| Expenses impact | Expenses impact |
| The results come on top of a strong showing for the Tories in English council elections on Friday, where it polled 38% of the vote and took control of a host of councils across the south west and the Midlands. | The results come on top of a strong showing for the Tories in English council elections on Friday, where it polled 38% of the vote and took control of a host of councils across the south west and the Midlands. |
| The Conservatives said Sunday's results - which saw Labour relegated into third place behind UKIP - showed that Gordon Brown's authority had disappeared completely and he should call an immediate general election. | The Conservatives said Sunday's results - which saw Labour relegated into third place behind UKIP - showed that Gordon Brown's authority had disappeared completely and he should call an immediate general election. |
| The Tories secured 24 seats in the European Parliament - almost twice as many as Labour, who got 13. | The Tories secured 24 seats in the European Parliament - almost twice as many as Labour, who got 13. |
| The Tories led the way in every English region except the North East, overtaking Labour in the North West and Yorkshire - areas in which it must gain seats if the party is to win a majority in a future general election. | The Tories led the way in every English region except the North East, overtaking Labour in the North West and Yorkshire - areas in which it must gain seats if the party is to win a majority in a future general election. |
| We are advancing in all parts of the country William Hague | |
| Its share of the vote was broadly unchanged in many regions, although it rose significantly in the East Midlands at the expense of both UKIP and Labour. | Its share of the vote was broadly unchanged in many regions, although it rose significantly in the East Midlands at the expense of both UKIP and Labour. |
| Although its vote share was not much higher than in 2004, the Tories said the results must be seen in the context of the political climate following the expenses scandal. | Although its vote share was not much higher than in 2004, the Tories said the results must be seen in the context of the political climate following the expenses scandal. |
| Leader David Cameron said: "The Conservative Party were the clear winners in these elections. We topped the poll, we increased our share of the vote, increased our number of MEPs, we won in almost every part of the country and had some staggering results like topping the poll in Wales. | |
| "The next election should be a general election. And just as Labour has lost the trust of the British people I want the Conservative Party to work hard to win that trust and just as Labour has failed, we have to work hard to show how we can succeed." | |
| Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said that, since the introduction of PR for European elections, many voters used the polls to punish the main parties and to "indulge" smaller and fringe parties. | Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said that, since the introduction of PR for European elections, many voters used the polls to punish the main parties and to "indulge" smaller and fringe parties. |
| "People sell their votes quite cheaply to minority parties," he told the BBC. But he said he was content with the outcome, noting the Tories were "advancing in all parts of the country". | "People sell their votes quite cheaply to minority parties," he told the BBC. But he said he was content with the outcome, noting the Tories were "advancing in all parts of the country". |
| Welsh triumph | Welsh triumph |
| Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan said Labour had endured its worst poll performance since it became a national party in the 1920s. | |
| "I am not sure people have a complete grasp of the magnitude of what is happening," he told BBC News. | |
| The highlight of the evening for the party was its triumph in Wales, where it polled 7,000 more voters than Labour and relegated it into second place for the first time in a national election for about 90 years. | The highlight of the evening for the party was its triumph in Wales, where it polled 7,000 more voters than Labour and relegated it into second place for the first time in a national election for about 90 years. |
| Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said the result was an "historic" triumph. | Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said the result was an "historic" triumph. |
| "The Labour Party has taken people in Wales for granted for an awfully long time," she said. | "The Labour Party has taken people in Wales for granted for an awfully long time," she said. |
| "I hope that we can show people in Wales that we really have something to offer." | "I hope that we can show people in Wales that we really have something to offer." |
| In the run-up to the elections, controversy has surrounded the party's plan to leave the centre-right grouping of parties in Brussels, the European People's Party. | In the run-up to the elections, controversy has surrounded the party's plan to leave the centre-right grouping of parties in Brussels, the European People's Party. |
| The Tories plan to set up a new grouping with like-minded parties opposed to further political integration but critics have said this will leave them isolated. | The Tories plan to set up a new grouping with like-minded parties opposed to further political integration but critics have said this will leave them isolated. |