Elections 2009: Ukip adds to Labour's misery
THE United Kingdom Independence Party were the big winners in the West Midlands as Labour faced further misery at the ballot box, this time in the European elections.
In the North West, which covers South Cheshire, British National Party leader Nick Griffin was elected.
The West Midlands election saw Ukip win the most votes in both Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle, and come second across the West Midlands region. It was enough to secure two MEPs for the Eurosceptic party, one more than it won in 2004.
The Conservatives won the most votes across the region, but still lost one of the three seats they won five years ago, mainly due to West Midlands' representation falling from seven to six MEPs.
But it will be Labour who will be most disappointed by last night's results, which saw Neena Gill, who had served the West Midlands as an MEP since 1999, lose her seat.
Ukip's newly-elected MEP for the West Midlands, Nikki Sinclaire, said the results showed people in North Staffordshire, and across the region, wanted a proper debate on Britain's membership of the European Union.
She said: "I took the party battle bus up to Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle, and a lot of the people we spoke to wanted to know why we aren't debating Europe more, and why they aren't being given the option to say no to the EU."
In Stoke-on-Trent, Ukip took 22 per cent (10,885) of the vote. They were followed by Labour on 20.5 per cent (10,144) and the Conservatives on 17.65 per cent (8,719).
In another boost for the BNP, they narrowly missed out on being the third biggest party in Stoke-on-Trent. They came in just behind the Tories after taking 17.62 per cent of the vote (8,706). The Liberal Democrats took 9.7 per cent (4,806).
Elsewhere in Staffordshire, the Tories were the big winners, carrying on from their success in the county council elections last week when they took 49 of the 62 seats.
In the Staffordshire Moorlands, they picked up 8,769 votes, more than 2,000 ahead of the second-placed Ukip, while in Stafford they received 14,057.
Tory MEP Phillip Bradbourn, who successfully defended his seat along with colleague Malcolm Harbour, said: "Clearly the Conservatives have won this election."
Labour's sole remaining MEP in the region, Michael Cashman, called for the party to unite behind its leader.
He said: "Of course I'm disappointed Neena Gill hasn't been re-elected, but this was always going to be a difficult election for us."
Lib Dem MEP Liz Lynne, who retained her West Midlands seat, was satisfied with her party's performance, but disappointed by the Ukip and BNP "protest" vote. "Hopefully these will come back to the mainstream parties," she added.
The BNP won two seats. As well as its success in the North West, Andrew Brons won a seat in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Related news:
Elections 2009: BNP chief claims seat for party in North West
UKIP are the big winners in European elections
Elections 2009: Ukip adds to Labour's misery
Brown under severe pressure as party takes another battering at the polls...
8 Comments
by Justin, Tunstall
Tuesday, April 20 2010, 3:28PM
“I will repeat what I have said on several of these forums previously. What makes you think the BNP would be any different to the other parties. Unfortunately when you give the majority of people a little power it goes to their heads and the think they can get away with whatever they like. Wake up the BNP will infact be worse than the other parties!!!”
by Mark, Stoke
Monday, June 08 2009, 7:46PM
“Well done to the BNP.
Maybe the other two parties will now wake up, sit up and start listening to what the voters who voted them in, want.”
by Rustinho, Silverdale
Monday, June 08 2009, 5:49PM
“It is indeed a sad day when the BNP get as much support as they did.”
by Anon, Mow Cop
Monday, June 08 2009, 1:44PM
“I don't like the BNP as a party because of what they stand for, what ALL the main political parties have not woken up to, is that they have consistenly let respectable working people down for years with their own vested interests, so they can't complain when the BNP gets voted in, it's too late by then. This is how Hitler came to power in the 1930's , perhaps there's a lesson to learn in there somewhere.”
by geoff, Telford
Monday, June 08 2009, 10:38AM
“But the only trouble is when the cheating liars are gone they will be still costing us millions with huge pensions and payments. They should go with nothing and anyone who has stolen from this country should go to prison as would Joe Soap. We need a total change in this country now . I wonder if anyone fiddles their expenses in other departments for example The NHS or the Ministry of Defence etc ?”
by Raymond, Staffs
Monday, June 08 2009, 9:41AM
“These results just go to show that the people who voted are sick of the big 3. Soon these cheating liars will be gone, and not too soon....”
by Kevin, Newcastle
Monday, June 08 2009, 9:30AM
“UKIP= same old rubbish different colour”
by lee, nirvana
Monday, June 08 2009, 8:34AM
“Another indicator that there should be a general election called asap, this unelected prime minister & his labour cronies are a dead party that no 1 wants & its time they realised it !!.”