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| Farage hails 'extraordinary' UKIP win in European election | Farage hails 'extraordinary' UKIP win in European election |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nigel Farage has said his "dream has become a reality" and UKIP is now the "third force" in British politics after it topped the European polls. | Nigel Farage has said his "dream has become a reality" and UKIP is now the "third force" in British politics after it topped the European polls. |
| With only Scotland left to declare, UKIP has 27.5% of the vote and 23 MEPs. | With only Scotland left to declare, UKIP has 27.5% of the vote and 23 MEPs. |
| Labour, on 25%, is narrowly beating the Tories into second place while the Lib Dems lost all but one of their seats and came behind the Greens. | |
| David Cameron said the public was "disillusioned" with the EU and their message was "received and understood". | |
| The full Scottish result will be known at noon on Monday, as the Western Isles does not count votes on a Sunday. | The full Scottish result will be known at noon on Monday, as the Western Isles does not count votes on a Sunday. |
| The BBC is predicting that the result in Scotland will be SNP on two seats, Labour on two seats and the Conservatives and UKIP with one seat each - meaning Mr Farage's anti-EU party is expected to win at least one seat in every part of Great Britain. | The BBC is predicting that the result in Scotland will be SNP on two seats, Labour on two seats and the Conservatives and UKIP with one seat each - meaning Mr Farage's anti-EU party is expected to win at least one seat in every part of Great Britain. |
| It will be the first time a national election has not been won by the Conservatives or Labour in 100 years - and the first time a party with no MPs at Westminster has achieved such a result. | It will be the first time a national election has not been won by the Conservatives or Labour in 100 years - and the first time a party with no MPs at Westminster has achieved such a result. |
| Counting in Northern Ireland begins later on Monday. | Counting in Northern Ireland begins later on Monday. |
| In his victory speech at the South East of England count, UKIP leader Mr Farage said: "The people's army of UKIP have spoken tonight and have delivered just about the most extraordinary result in British politics for 100 years." | In his victory speech at the South East of England count, UKIP leader Mr Farage said: "The people's army of UKIP have spoken tonight and have delivered just about the most extraordinary result in British politics for 100 years." |
| He said the three main parties in Britain had led the country into the Common Market but had "twisted and turned" over an in/out referendum on EU membership. | He said the three main parties in Britain had led the country into the Common Market but had "twisted and turned" over an in/out referendum on EU membership. |
| "The penny's really dropped that as members of this union we cannot run our own country and crucially, we cannot control our own borders," said the UKIP leader. | "The penny's really dropped that as members of this union we cannot run our own country and crucially, we cannot control our own borders," said the UKIP leader. |
| He later told the BBC that he was "over the moon" about his party's performance and he was more confident than ever that it would make a breakthrough at Westminster next year. | He later told the BBC that he was "over the moon" about his party's performance and he was more confident than ever that it would make a breakthrough at Westminster next year. |
| The result had "serious consequences" for the three main party leaders and he believed Nick Clegg's position as Lib Dem leader was now "untenable". | The result had "serious consequences" for the three main party leaders and he believed Nick Clegg's position as Lib Dem leader was now "untenable". |
| Mr Clegg faced calls to stand down ahead of Sunday night's results - something firmly rejected by senior party figures. | Mr Clegg faced calls to stand down ahead of Sunday night's results - something firmly rejected by senior party figures. |
| A member of the party's federal executive, Martin Tod, reiterated his call for Mr Clegg to quit because voters were "not prepared" to listen to him. | A member of the party's federal executive, Martin Tod, reiterated his call for Mr Clegg to quit because voters were "not prepared" to listen to him. |
| He said any new leader should "prove themselves in a democratic party election". | He said any new leader should "prove themselves in a democratic party election". |
| Mr Tod, a councillor in Winchester, branded his party's results in the European elections a "disaster" and the party's response "complacent". | Mr Tod, a councillor in Winchester, branded his party's results in the European elections a "disaster" and the party's response "complacent". |
| But Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander, who has been touted as a future leader himself, insisted Mr Clegg was "by far the best spokesman" for the Lib Dems and said "plunging the party into a period of introspection" was not the right response to the results. | But Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander, who has been touted as a future leader himself, insisted Mr Clegg was "by far the best spokesman" for the Lib Dems and said "plunging the party into a period of introspection" was not the right response to the results. |
| Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps said the results were acting as "a command for Britain to get a better deal" in Europe - but he rejected calls by Tory grandee David Davis to bring forward the in/out EU referendum to 2016, saying negotiations on this could not be rushed. | Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps said the results were acting as "a command for Britain to get a better deal" in Europe - but he rejected calls by Tory grandee David Davis to bring forward the in/out EU referendum to 2016, saying negotiations on this could not be rushed. |
| The Tory leadership faced further calls for an electoral pact with UKIP to avoid a split in the right of British politics at next year's general election. | The Tory leadership faced further calls for an electoral pact with UKIP to avoid a split in the right of British politics at next year's general election. |
| Daniel Hannan, who was returned as a Tory MEP in the South East region, said: "It would be very sad if the two right-of-centre Eurosceptic parties at the general election were not able to find some way, at least in marginal seats, of reaching an accommodation so that anti-referendum candidates don't get in with a minority of votes." | Daniel Hannan, who was returned as a Tory MEP in the South East region, said: "It would be very sad if the two right-of-centre Eurosceptic parties at the general election were not able to find some way, at least in marginal seats, of reaching an accommodation so that anti-referendum candidates don't get in with a minority of votes." |
| Grant Shapps has repeatedly ruled out any formal pact or local deals with UKIP. | Grant Shapps has repeatedly ruled out any formal pact or local deals with UKIP. |
| Labour was looking at one stage as if it might be beaten into third place by the Tories - a potentially disastrous result for Ed Miliband as he seeks to show he can win next year's general election. | Labour was looking at one stage as if it might be beaten into third place by the Tories - a potentially disastrous result for Ed Miliband as he seeks to show he can win next year's general election. |
| But the party was rescued by another strong showing in London - and it took heart from local election results in battleground seats, which party spokesmen suggested were a better guide to general election performance. | But the party was rescued by another strong showing in London - and it took heart from local election results in battleground seats, which party spokesmen suggested were a better guide to general election performance. |
| Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said UKIP had tapped into people's disaffection with politics. | Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said UKIP had tapped into people's disaffection with politics. |
| She told BBC people have said they are voting UKIP, even if they are a Labour supporter, because, they said: "I think you need a shake-up." | She told BBC people have said they are voting UKIP, even if they are a Labour supporter, because, they said: "I think you need a shake-up." |
| BNP leader Nick Griffin lost his seat and saw his party's vote collapse by 6% in the North-West of England. | BNP leader Nick Griffin lost his seat and saw his party's vote collapse by 6% in the North-West of England. |
| The BNP has seen a similar slump in support across the UK and seems certain to have no representation in the next European Parliament. | The BNP has seen a similar slump in support across the UK and seems certain to have no representation in the next European Parliament. |
| Across the channel, the far right anti-EU National Front has topped the poll in France, according to exit polls. | Across the channel, the far right anti-EU National Front has topped the poll in France, according to exit polls. |
| Anti-EU parties from the left and right are expected to gain significant numbers of MEPs across all 28 member states in the wake of the eurozone crisis and severe financial squeeze. | Anti-EU parties from the left and right are expected to gain significant numbers of MEPs across all 28 member states in the wake of the eurozone crisis and severe financial squeeze. |
| But pro-EU parties are still expected to hold the majority in parliament. | But pro-EU parties are still expected to hold the majority in parliament. |
| Turnout across the EU is up slightly at 43.1%, according to estimates. Turnout in the UK was 33.8%, down slightly on last time. | Turnout across the EU is up slightly at 43.1%, according to estimates. Turnout in the UK was 33.8%, down slightly on last time. |
| In the European elections five years ago, the Conservatives got 27.7% of the total vote, ahead of UKIP on 16.5%, Labour on 15.7%, the Lib Dems on 13.7%, the Green Party on 8.6% and the BNP on 6.2%. | In the European elections five years ago, the Conservatives got 27.7% of the total vote, ahead of UKIP on 16.5%, Labour on 15.7%, the Lib Dems on 13.7%, the Green Party on 8.6% and the BNP on 6.2%. |