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:
Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson has also responded to the results, saying the party “urgently needs to re-think” its Brexit strategy.
RESULT: The Brexit Party has won the North West region. They have three new MEPs.
The Lib Dems come second, gaining two MEP seats, and Labour comes third, also on two MEP seats, (having lost one). They now have one MEP for the region. The Greens finish head of the Tories and gain one MEP seat.
Here’s where we are now. The Brexit Party has won 8 of 9 declared regions – North West, South East, South West, Yorkshire & Humber, the West Midlands, Wales, East of England and North East regions. The party’s national vote share is 31.6 per cent so far.
A jubilant Nigel Farage says the result could be repeated at the next general election.
The big two taking a hammering tonight. A reminder if you missed it - Labour lost the borough of Islington to the Liberal Democrats, where Jeremy Corbyn has his constituency seat.
In Windsor & Maidenhead, where Theresa May holds her seat, there was also a huge swing from the Tories to the Lib Dems. The Conservatives lost 26 per cent of their vote share since the last Euro election.
BBC
Are we about to see a significant shift in Labour’s Brexit strategy? Emily Thornberry’s comments tonight suggest Jeremy Corbyn is running out of allies in his efforts to cling onto Leave voters.
Here’s John Rentoul’s take on the widening split in the party.
The newly elected Brexit Party MEP Ann Widdecombe says the results show “the people have once again voted to leave.”
Repeating Nigel Farage’s warning, she said: “This sends a very clear message that if the politicians don’t sort out Brexit then at the next general election both big parties will face carnage.”
PA
Change UK leader Heidi Allen has said the Brexit Party should not be part of any future Brexit negotiations despite being on course for victory at the European elections.
The former Tory MP also said that Parliament will not pass a no-deal Brexit. She added: “The Brexit Party may well do well in this election tonight but they don't have any MPs in the House of Commons.
“It is MPs who hold the decision-making responsibility on what happens. Twice already we have categorically voted down no-deal. There's no way on earth no-deal will pass the House of Commons.”
When asked if the Brexit Party should be part of future Brexit negotiations, she said: “I don't think so. They need to earn some MPs to get that.”
A reminder that the Tories have not topped the vote in a single council area anywhere in the UK tonight. With only 9.1 per cent of the national vote share so far, the Conservative party is set to win its lowest vote share since 1832.
The Brexit Party has won 9 of 10 declared regions – East Midlands, North West, South East, South West, Yorkshire & Humber, the West Midlands, Wales, East of England and North East regions.
With only two regions to go – Scotland and Northern Ireland – Nigel Farage’s party has a national vote share of 32 per cent. More than 5 million people have voted for the Brexit Party.
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