UKIP wins big at local elections, aims to be "serious player" at general election

UKIP is gaining serious momentum at the local elections, results out now have shown.

UKIP snapped up eight Conservative councils including Maidstone, Southend-on-Sea, Castle Point, Basildon and Brentwood.

While the Tories have lost 102 seats, Labour has gained 94, the Lib Dems have lost 83 and UKIP has gained 86. The Green Party gained only one seat.

UKIP gained 11 seats in Basildon and Essex, which were previously conservative-led councils. The party also gained five seats in Thurrock and Essex, which were controlled by the Labour party.

UKIP also weakened Conservative’s stronghold in Southend-on-Sea where it gained five seats.

The party also won four seats in Maidstone in Kent and cashed in on Tories’ loss of Castle Point, which covers Canvey Island in Essex.

The Tories lost control of Tamworth in Staffordshire, where no party now has overall control.

The Lib Dems have lost control of Portsmouth and the Conservatives lost four seats in Peterborough. The Conservatives also lost in Brentwood in Essex.

UKIP hasn’t had major wins in London but saw a rise in polling digits in Essex, Birmingham and Hull.

The Labour party won Cameron’s Hammersmith and Fulham Council, Merton and Cambridge. However, it lost in areas like Swindon, Walsall, Tamworth and Portsmouth.

Speaking about the results, Farage said: “The UKIP fox is in the Westminster henhouse” and added: “The idea the UKIP vote just hurts the Tories is going to be blown away by this election.” 

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