Video: Nigel Farage says Ukip will 'get stronger' following success at local elections

Friday 03 May 2013 12:30 BST

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The leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage has said that his party will 'get stronger' and continue to do so unless a referendum is held on Britain's European Union membership.

Farage went onto say that unless action was taken on the UK's open door immigration policy on Bulgaria and Romania, the party would carry on growing.

'People are taking Ukip seriously, they're voting for us because they see us offering positive policy solutions,' he added.

In response to suggestions that the party's success was simply a protest vote against the coalition government, Farage said: 'Whilst everyone who voted for us yesterday was saying "no" the establishment, with very good reason, they also knew what they were voting for, they know what Ukip's policies are.'

Farage's remarks follow the party's success at the local elections, with Ukip ending up with 42 councillors after results from eight authorities were declared and capturing a 26 per cent of the votes in the areas where it stood.

For more on this story:

Ukip hails sea change in British politics as it dents Tory grasp on county councils

Misery for Lib Dems as they trail in seventh while Labour enjoys Westminster victory in South Shields