Tories gain in Stratford local election and UKIP tops West Midland poll in Euro vote

The Conservatives retained control in Stratford district in the local elections, while UKIP came out top in the West Midlands in the European elections.

With a turnout of 40.5 per cent, the residents of the district voted in 35 Tory councillors, while the Liberal Democrats now have 12; Labour has one seat; the Independents have two; and the Stratford First Independents two. The UK Independence Party failed to gain any votes.

Conservatives were voted in by overwhelming majorities in Harbury (turnout 42.6 per cent), Long Itchington (turnout 39.9 per cent), Southam (turnout 33.9 per cent) and Wellesbourne (turnout 43.6 per cent), with Chris Kettle (Harbury) taking 880 votes, David Riches (Long Itchington) 461 votes, Jennie Ellard (Southam) 713 votes and Anne Parry (Wellesbourne) 908 votes.

Meanwhile, the European elections, which were also held last Thursday, people across the West Midlands voted in three UKIP MEPs - up one since the last Euro election in 2009, with the party topping the poll in the region, gaining 428,010 votes.

Echoing the national pattern in the Euro election, Labour got the second highest number of votes with 363,033. Labour now has two West Midlands MEPs and the Conservatives also have two. There is an extra MEP for the region as a consequence of the Lisbon Treaty in 2011.

UKIP’s MEPs are Jill Seymour, Jim Carver and Bill Etheridge, the new Labour MEPs are Neena Gill and Sion Simon and the Conservative MEPs are Philip Bradbourn and Anthea McIntyre.

The two MEPs who left UKIP to set up their own parties after the last Euro elections, Mike Nattrass and Nikki Sinclaire, both lost their seats. The West Midland’s only Lib Dem MEP, Phil Bennion, also lost his seat.

Speaking to the press after the results, which were counted on Sunday, UKIP’s Jim Carver said: “A wind of change is being felt throughout Europe.

“Not since the end of the 1800s when Keir Hardie’s Labour movement started have the British people been so ready for a completely different political message.”

Mike Nattrass and Nikki Sinclaire have both congratulated their former colleagues, but Mr Nattrass has voiced his concern over the direction UKIP is taking.

This year’s Euro elections are the first time a national election has not been won by the Conservatives or Labour in 100 years - and the first time a party with no MPs at Westminster has achieved so many votes. Nationally, UKIP gained almost 30 per cent of votes.