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| Lib Dems languish in fifth place in European elections | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Lib Dems have had their worst European election result for 25 years, with only one seat to their name. | The Lib Dems have had their worst European election result for 25 years, with only one seat to their name. |
| They have lost seats in every region apart from the South East, where Catherine Bearder is their sole MEP. | They have lost seats in every region apart from the South East, where Catherine Bearder is their sole MEP. |
| The nine defeats so far include Edward McMillan-Scott, who has been an MEP for 30 years and was the only British vice-president of the European Parliament. | The nine defeats so far include Edward McMillan-Scott, who has been an MEP for 30 years and was the only British vice-president of the European Parliament. |
| Other ousted stalwarts include Sir Graham Watson, Andrew Duff and Chris Davies. | Other ousted stalwarts include Sir Graham Watson, Andrew Duff and Chris Davies. |
| The Lib Dems are currently in fifth position in terms of vote share, behind the Green Party. | The Lib Dems are currently in fifth position in terms of vote share, behind the Green Party. |
| The Greens have collected 1.2m votes and have three MEPs, while the Lib Dems have one million votes and one MEP - the same total as Plaid Cymru, which only fields candidates in Wales. | The Greens have collected 1.2m votes and have three MEPs, while the Lib Dems have one million votes and one MEP - the same total as Plaid Cymru, which only fields candidates in Wales. |
| The full results in Scotland are not yet known, but as Brian Taylor writes, the country looks set to lose its Lib Dem MEP, George Lyon, and finish sixth. | The full results in Scotland are not yet known, but as Brian Taylor writes, the country looks set to lose its Lib Dem MEP, George Lyon, and finish sixth. |
| 'Complacent' | 'Complacent' |
| Senior Lib Dems had warned before Thursday's elections that the party faced losing all 11 of its MEPs. | Senior Lib Dems had warned before Thursday's elections that the party faced losing all 11 of its MEPs. |
| Its slump to fifth place - coupled with the loss of 250 council seats in the local elections - has led to calls for leader Nick Clegg to stand down to prevent a wipe-out at next year's general election. | Its slump to fifth place - coupled with the loss of 250 council seats in the local elections - has led to calls for leader Nick Clegg to stand down to prevent a wipe-out at next year's general election. |
| Martin Tod, a member of the Liberal Democrats' federal executive, echoed calls for Mr Clegg to quit, claiming voters were "not prepared" to listen to him. | Martin Tod, a member of the Liberal Democrats' federal executive, echoed calls for Mr Clegg to quit, claiming 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". |
| 'Toxic' | |
| Mr Tod, who is a councillor in Winchester and stood there in the 2010 general election, branded his party's results in the European elections a "disaster" and the party's response "complacent". | Mr Tod, who is a councillor in Winchester and stood there in the 2010 general election, branded his party's results in the European elections a "disaster" and the party's response "complacent". |
| Former MP Sandra Gidley, one of about 250 people to have signed an online letter demanding a change of leader, said Mr Clegg was "associated with the broken promises of the coalition" and, under his leadership, the Liberal Democrat "brand had become toxic". | |
| She told the BBC's Today programme that a new leader would be able to better articulate the "positive difference" the party had made by working with the Conservatives. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Party president Tim Farron said he should not face a leadership challenge despite a "staggeringly disappointing" result. He claimed the Lib Dems had "paid the price" for fighting a strongly pro-European campaign. | Party president Tim Farron said he should not face a leadership challenge despite a "staggeringly disappointing" result. He claimed the Lib Dems had "paid the price" for fighting a strongly pro-European campaign. |
| 'Post-mortem' | |
| Catherine Bearder, the Liberal Democrat's only MEP returned so far, said Mr Clegg had been right to go out and campaign on a positive EU platform. | Catherine Bearder, the Liberal Democrat's only MEP returned so far, said Mr Clegg had been right to go out and campaign on a positive EU platform. |
| "It's been very difficult," she told Sky News. "We fought a very good, positive campaign on our issues of being in the European Union and standing up for Britain in the European Union." | "It's been very difficult," she told Sky News. "We fought a very good, positive campaign on our issues of being in the European Union and standing up for Britain in the European Union." |
| She denied Mr Clegg or the EU as a whole had proved unpopular on the doorstep, but added: "People don't understand how the European Union works and they don't think it is important to their daily lives." | She denied Mr Clegg or the EU as a whole had proved unpopular on the doorstep, but added: "People don't understand how the European Union works and they don't think it is important to their daily lives." |
| Some MPs have expressed reservations about the leadership of the party but none have yet called for Mr Clegg - who took over in 2007 - to stand down. | |
| Southport MP John Pugh told the Sunday Times an internal "post-mortem... has to include a truly open, mature and balanced look at our whole strategy, including the leadership issue". | |
| Colleague Adrian Sanders, who represents Torbay, said: "The problem is the messenger - very few people say it's the message." | Colleague Adrian Sanders, who represents Torbay, said: "The problem is the messenger - very few people say it's the message." |