UK Independent Party Leader Nigel Farage has hailed UKIP as no ‘flash in the pan’ after it stormed to second behind the Tories in the European Elections.
It gained 17.4 per cent of the vote, behind the Tories who were ahead with 28.3 per cent.UKIP beat Labour, who slumped to third place with a dismal 15.4 per cent – its worst score in a national election since 1910.
In region after region UKIP was the main beneficiary of protest votes against the main parties, tarnished by the Westminster expenses scandal.
The votes for UKIP secured them 13 MEPs, with Labour on just 11 and the Tory’s tally at 24. This was one more than it managed in the 2004 elections.
Mr Farage brushed off suggestions that his own party’s second place was a result of Labour’s unpopularity rather than voter enthusiasm for Ukip.
He told GMTV: “We have made huge strides in terms of changing the way the public looks at the European Union. We want to be friendly with Europe, we want to trade with Europe, be good nextdoor neighbours, but not have our laws made there.”Mr Farage added the result was no fluke: “According to all the experts, this is the second fluke in a row that we have produced.
“People vote for us because they agree with us. They agree with us that we should be friendly with Europe, trade with Europe, be good neighbours, but not have our laws made there.
“We have managed to move on from a result five years ago that was considered to be the high water mark. We are up on those elections. We have done extremely well. We have come second nationally. We are very happy people.”
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