European election results 2019: Brexit Party vow to take on Tories and Labour in general election as Tommy Robinson and UKIP obliterated
Labour hints at supporting second referendum as Liberal Democrats win Remain voters
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Your support makes all the difference.Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party has claimed victory in the European parliamentary elections, taking 29 seats and topping the poll in ten of the UK's 11 regions.
On a grim night for the Conservatives and Labour, the pro-EU Liberal Democrats emerged as the other big winners, with leader Sir Vince Cable saying it was “proof that the Lib Dems are the biggest, strongest voice of Remain”.
Theresa May said it was a "very disappointing night" for the Conservatives and once again urged MPs to find a solution to the Brexit crisis.
"Some excellent MEPs have lost their seats, some excellent candidates missed out," she said.
"But Labour have also suffered big losses. It shows the importance of finding a Brexit deal, and I sincerely hope these results focus minds in Parliament"
Boris Johnson, widely considered the frontrunner in the race to replace Ms May, said voters had delivered the Conservative party with a "final warning".
He urged his colleagues to deliver Brexit and "deliver Brexit and set out our positive plans for the country."
At the same time Labour edged closer to support for a second Brexit referendum, after voters in Remain strongholds deserted the party and voted for the Liberal Democrats.
In early-morning messages after seeing the party slump to third place with a 14 per cent share of the vote, both Jeremy Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell said that the issue of EU withdrawal must be put to a public vote – which could come in a general election or a Final Say referendum.
Mr McDonnell tweeted: “Can’t hide from hit we took last night. Bringing people together when there’s such a divide was never going to be easy. Now we face prospect of Brexiteer extremist as Tory leader and threat of no deal, we must unite our party and country by taking issue back to people in a public vote.”
If you would like to see how the EU election results night unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below:
Polls have now closed in the European parliamentary elections across the continent. We’re expecting the UK’s first result from the North East region in around 30 minutes.
We have the first results. In Sheffield, Labour have been pushed into fourth place. A sign of things to come?
According to preliminary results released on Sunday evening, Europe’s Greens have made major gains across the continent.
Here’s our Europe correspondent Jon Stone with more on the apparent surge.
Wow. Labour pushed to fourth place in Cardiff too. Plaid Cymru in third behind the Brexit Party and Lib Dems.
RESULT: The Brexit Party has won the North East region and has two new MEPs elected. It won 39 per cent of the vote. Labour is second on 19 per cent and has one MEP. The Lib Dems came third on 17 per cent, despite increasing their vote share from last time.
Early results show Labour vote significantly down in many places. Labour MP Emily Thornberry says “we were not clear on the one thing people wanted to hear”.
“We should have said that any Brexit deal should be put to a confirmatory referendum,” she told the BBC. “And that Labour would have campaigned to remain.”
Early indication that Nigel Farage’s party is on course for a very strong win - taking 13 of the first 14 areas to declare. The Brexit Party has come out top in Leeds, Sunderland, Newcastle, Cardiff, Sheffield, Rotherham, Kingston Upon Hull, Bolton, Pembrokeshire. Wrexham and Wolverhampton. In South Staffordshire and North East Lincolnshire, the party one more than 50 per cent of the vote.
Looks like Tommy Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley Lennon – has failed in his bid to become a MEP in the North West. Hope Not Hate’s Nick Lowes says he has conceded defeat at the count.
RESULT: The Brexit Party has won the East of England region. They have three new MEPs.
The Lib Dems came second, with two MEPs. The Greens come third and gain one MEP seat. The Tories came fourth and retain one MEP. Labour fifth.
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