UKIP Chairman says "thanks"

Philip Griffiths, North West Chairman of the UK Independence Party has thanked "all those who voted UKIP in the local elections".

Mr Griffiths added: "In 2008 (the comparable point in the electoral cycle), UKIP took 98,000 votes in England. This year we took over 220,000; our vote has more than doubled since 2008.

"We fielded 691 candidates this year, up from 450 in 2008 and the average UKIP candidate had a percentage vote share of 13.8% – the highest ever. The Lib Dems stayed static at 16%.

"UKIP won nine seats in England and Wales and 136 candidates finished in second place.

"We continue to build our footprint in local government, proving that UKIP’s policies covering every area of both national and local government are now starting to have an impact on the voting public."