The Brexit Party commands the stage in the UK’s European elections, with the pro-EU Lib Dems coming second, however the Conservatives and Labour suffered heavy losses, with the former expected to get less than 10% of the vote.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said he was ready to “take on” the Tories and Labour in a general election.
Overall, out of 64 MEPs declared so far, Mr Farage’s party has won 28, the Lib Dems 15, Labour 10, Greens seven, the Tories three and Plaid Cymru one.
Mr Farage told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “With a big, simple message – which is we’ve been badly let down by two parties who have broken their promises – we have topped the poll in a fairly dramatic style.
“The two party system now serves nothing but itself. I think they are an obstruction to the modernising of politics… and we are going to take them on.”
Anti-Brexit parties – those in favour of another referendum – collectively took about 40% of the vote, compared with 35% for the two parties in favour of leaving the EU without a deal.
The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, said the result should “give hope to all of the people out of there who want to stop Brexit”, and that they “should not be giving up without a fight”.
“When there is such a general shambles over Brexit, then [a further referendum] is the best way out of the impasse,” she told Today.
Polling expert Sir John Curtice said the results showed just how polarised the country had become.
All 28 EU member states are electing MEPs to the European Parliament – the EU’s law-making body. Overall, the big centre-right and centre-left blocs lost ground, amid a surge in support for liberals, Greens and nationalists.
The UK had been due to leave the EU on 29 March, but when that deadline was missed, participation in the election became mandatory.
The Brexit Party topped the polls in every region of England apart from London. It also dominated in Wales, with Plaid Cymru second.
Scotland is yet to formally declare, but with most votes counted, the SNP is on course for a resounding victory, with about 38% of the vote.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s count does not begin until Monday, with the results expected on Tuesday.
The night at a glance
The UK is electing 73 MEPs, and 10 out of 12 regions have declared so far:
The Brexit Party has received the highest share of the vote in nine of the 10 regions – with 32% overall
The Conservative Party has been widely rejected by the electorate, coming in fifth place
The Lib Dems have taken second place with 20% of the vote – a vote that is clearly much higher in areas that backed Remain. In London, the Lib Dems came first and the Tories fifth
The Labour Party has fallen to third place overall – fifth in Scotland – and is on course to end up with less than 15% of the vote, an even worse performance than their previous low in 2009
The Green Party has also made gains, seeing its best performance since 1989
Newly-formed Change UK has not won any seats, while UKIP has also haemorrhaged support to The Brexit Party – both have gained about 3% of the vote
Big gains for small parties
In contrast to the two biggest parties, some of the smaller ones with an unambiguous message on Brexit were rewarded.
Lib Dem Sir Ed Davey said his party was “leading the Remain vote” and had “an awful lot to be pleased about”.
Green Party co-leader Sian Berry said the case for a further referendum was stronger than ever, adding: “Giving the people the final say over the country’s direction is now clearly the only way forward, the way to draw a line under the Brexit chaos.
“The vote tally for clearly Remain parties is higher than for that of the Brexit Party and UKIP. The people have spoken.”
Change UK failed to win any seats in the election, but leader Heidi Allen told the BBC her party – newly formed from ex-Labour and Tory MPs – was “down, but we are not out”.
source: BBC
