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| Local elections 2014: Ukip makes major gains as Labour takes Tory flagship Hammersmith and Fulham | Local elections 2014: Ukip makes major gains as Labour takes Tory flagship Hammersmith and Fulham |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Tories and Labour alike were reeling today from a series of defeats at the hands of Ukip in early results from the local council elections. | The Tories and Labour alike were reeling today from a series of defeats at the hands of Ukip in early results from the local council elections. |
| Nigel Farage’s party shrugged off a campaign blighted by revelations over the views of some of its candidates to pick up seats in Conservative and Labour heartlands. | Nigel Farage’s party shrugged off a campaign blighted by revelations over the views of some of its candidates to pick up seats in Conservative and Labour heartlands. |
| It scored stunning successes in Essex, gaining 11 seats in Basildon to end Tory control of its town hall, which Labour had hoped to win, and made steady gains in the nearby councils of Castle Point and Southend-on-Sea. | It scored stunning successes in Essex, gaining 11 seats in Basildon to end Tory control of its town hall, which Labour had hoped to win, and made steady gains in the nearby councils of Castle Point and Southend-on-Sea. |
| The party also had a decisive impact in Thurrock by picking up five council seats and depriving Labour of overall control. The result was a particular setback for Ed Miliband as the parliamentary constituency in the Essex town is a key target for Labour at next year’s general election. | The party also had a decisive impact in Thurrock by picking up five council seats and depriving Labour of overall control. The result was a particular setback for Ed Miliband as the parliamentary constituency in the Essex town is a key target for Labour at next year’s general election. |
| Across the Thames estuary, the Conservatives were ousted from control of Maidstone in Kent following four Ukip gains. | Across the Thames estuary, the Conservatives were ousted from control of Maidstone in Kent following four Ukip gains. |
| Ukip also polled strongly in the South Yorkshire authority of Rotherham, once a Labour stronghold, where it won ten seats. The Ukip surge also thwarted Labour’s hopes of winning Swindon, where the Conservatives increased their majority, and Tamworth. | Ukip also polled strongly in the South Yorkshire authority of Rotherham, once a Labour stronghold, where it won ten seats. The Ukip surge also thwarted Labour’s hopes of winning Swindon, where the Conservatives increased their majority, and Tamworth. |
| There was bad news as well for the Liberal Democrats who lost control of Portsmouth after Ukip gained six seats on the council. | There was bad news as well for the Liberal Democrats who lost control of Portsmouth after Ukip gained six seats on the council. |
| Labour is expected to draw some comfort from results in London, where it has gained control of Hammersmith and Fulham, previously a flagship Tory authority, and is expected to win Croydon and Tower Hamlets. | Labour is expected to draw some comfort from results in London, where it has gained control of Hammersmith and Fulham, previously a flagship Tory authority, and is expected to win Croydon and Tower Hamlets. |
| Ukip director of communications Patrick O'Flynn said he believed the party would secure more than 100 council seats. | Ukip director of communications Patrick O'Flynn said he believed the party would secure more than 100 council seats. |
| It is also expected to make huge gains in the results of elections to the European Parliament, which will be announced on Sunday. | It is also expected to make huge gains in the results of elections to the European Parliament, which will be announced on Sunday. |
| Labour sources had indicated that the party might win 200 seats on a good night, but senior MP Emily Thornberry said she expected the figure to be “around 150”. | Labour sources had indicated that the party might win 200 seats on a good night, but senior MP Emily Thornberry said she expected the figure to be “around 150”. |
| A senior Labour source acknowledged that Ukip's rise had “some impact” on Ed Miliband's party but claimed it was “looking as though there has been a big Tory/Lib Dem collapse”. | A senior Labour source acknowledged that Ukip's rise had “some impact” on Ed Miliband's party but claimed it was “looking as though there has been a big Tory/Lib Dem collapse”. |
| But there was criticism of Labour's performance from Eurosceptic MP Graham Stringer, who 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.” | |
| Labour former minister David Lammy said he would have liked to see the party make gains in places like Swindon. | Labour former minister David Lammy said he would have liked to see the party make gains in places like Swindon. |
| He claimed voters had been “swallowing” Ukip's message on immigration and Europe. | He claimed voters had been “swallowing” Ukip's message on immigration and Europe. |
| Mr Lammy told Sky News: “There's no doubt about it, Ukip are biting into parts of Labour's working-class vote.” | Mr Lammy told Sky News: “There's no doubt about it, Ukip are biting into parts of Labour's working-class vote.” |
| But Tory MPs Douglas Carswell, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Peter Bone called for the Conservatives and Ukip to work together in 2015 to ensure a referendum on Europe. | But Tory MPs Douglas Carswell, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Peter Bone called for the Conservatives and Ukip to work together in 2015 to ensure a referendum on Europe. |
| Mr Rees-Mogg told the BBC: “In a first-past-the-post system, if they don't get | Mr Rees-Mogg told the BBC: “In a first-past-the-post system, if they don't get |
| those votes into one pot, then both those sides end up losing.” | those votes into one pot, then both those sides end up losing.” |