Labour tops the Euro poll in Brighton and Hove

Leading Labour figures in Brighton and Hove are claiming the European Parliament Election results today will see the city council and all three parliamentary seats return to Labour in the 2015 local and General Elections.

Leader of the Labour and Co-operative Group on Brighton and Hove City Council Councillor Warren Morgan, said: “Our win in the Hanover by-election last year, our lead across the city in opinion polls, yesterday’s poll of the marginals, and now this show we are best placed to win. Our work on the doorstep has won back many local voters to Labour and our positive policies will show we are an administration in waiting. If elected we will deliver good quality, basic services to local people. These election results show that a year from now, with continued hard work, Labour can look forward to winning a majority of city council and getting on with the job of improving local services for Brighton and Hove.”

Total votes cast in Brighton and Hove:

Labour: 20,414

Green: 18, 586

Conservative: 15, 626

UKIP: 14, 205

Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion, Purna Sen added: “This result shows that local people are more interested in effective government than in mere protest. I’m confident that a year from now, the voters of Brighton Pavilion will vote for real change instead of just the illusion of change. Labour stands for opposition and proposing practical policies, instead of just protesting. The next Parliament will make decisions that matter massively to the city, the country and, indeed, the planet. Work to address climate change, economic inequality, education and the NHS cannot wait. Only Labour can offer a genuine and practical alternative to the coalition.“

Hove and Portslade Parliamentary candidate for Labour Peter Kyle said: “It’s time to bring jobs and growth back to our communities and tonight’s election shows voters in Hove believe Labour is the best choice to do just that. This result reflects what people have been telling me throughout the constituency. For all the talk of a “Big Society”, the coalition have spent four years making Britain a less inclusive place, something clearly opposed by the voters of Hove. I look forward to working hard over the next year, as Labour continues to convince voters that as the party with the best record on social issues, ours would be the best party to deliver in government.”

Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven Parliamentary candidate Nancy Platts, concluded saying: “Over the last four years, issues like zero hours contracts and rising energy bills have made life ever more precarious for working families. Voters across the constituency are turning back to Labour’s positive policies on the minimum wage and a commitment to secure employment.”

Nationally it was UKIP’S night as they topped the polls in what their leader Nigel Farage hailed as “the most extraordinary result in British politics in more than 100 years”. Labour came second helped by a strong showing in London with the Conservatives coming a close. The Greens came fourth with Molly Scott Cato picking up a seat for them in the South West of England.

Across Europe far right parties won in France, Denmark, Austria, Hungary and Greece while the left stood firm in Ireland and Germany where worryingly the first neo-Nazi MEP from the Hitler apologists of the National Democratic party of Germany was expected to be returned.

David Cameron the Prime Minister, said: “The message from the public was received and understood” but insisted voters will back the Conservatives next year.

Simon Kirby, MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven, added: “People have voted at these Euro elections as a way to send a variety of messages. Many people think that the EU is not working for Britain. We need to fix that relationship, deliver real change and make it work for Britain, and then give people a say on the result through an in/out referendum.”

“Locally over 60% of people didn’t vote on Thursday and results were mixed with Labour coming a poor fifth place in Lewes District (part of the Brighton Kemptown constituency) which includes Peacehaven Telscombe Cliffs and East Saltdean.

“I shall continue working hard for everyone, no matter how they vote right up to May 2015. It’s easy to be obsessed with elections. I’m just getting on with the job serving the people of Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven.”

Green MEP Keith Taylor was re-elected in the South East, but hopes for a second seat for Alex Phillips did not materialise.

Keith said: “I am honoured to have been re-elected as an MEP for South East England. At this election Greens offered voters hope, whilst others peddled fear and division. As an MEP for South East England I will stand up for my constituents, wherever they come from and however they choose to live their lives. It’s my honour to be back in Brussels working to make the EU more democratic and less dominated by big business.”

Green support across the city held up. They polled a strong second place, surprising many opponements who had claimed that they would not win significant support among voters this time following months of internal fighting in the local Party.  They managed to top the poll in the Brighton Pavilion constituency presently held by Caroline Lucas, MP.

Lisa Murray, Chair of Brighton and Hove Green Party, said: “Other parties had been quick to write us off in the city, especially with the near media blackout compared to UKIP, yet the city result shows that we are holding our own here, proving strong support for Green values, confounding all the critics and ensuring thousands of votes to help re-elect Greens to Europe.”

She added: “We’re not taking anything for granted but, from the close race city-wide with Labour, it looks likely we are ahead of all the other parties in Brighton Pavilion constituency – so it’s a strong launch pad for the elections next year.”

Nationally it was a dreadful night for the Liberal Democrats who came in fifth behind the Green party losing all their seats except for one in the South East.

Norman Baker, Minister of State at the Home Office and Lib Dem MP for Lewes, said: “The Lib Dem results in the Euro elections were pretty terrible and there’s no point pretending otherwise, though I am delighted that our local Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder has been re-elected. We fought an honest pro-Europe campaign, and took on Nigel Farage, something both Labour and Tories were scared to do. Sadly being pro-Europe is not where the zeitgeist is at the moment.

“It would however be wrong to read too much into what for a great many people is simply an opportunity for a protest vote. For example, in 2009, the Lib Dems came 3rd in the Euro vote in Lewes and a year later held the parliamentary seat with a majority of almost 8000”.

The South Easts MEPs now are:

Ukip: Janice Atkinson, Nigel Farage, Ray Finch, Diane James,

Conservative Party: Richard Ashworth, Nirj Deva, Dan Hannan,

Labour:  Anneliese Dodds

Green Party: Keith Taylor

Liberal Democrats: Catherine Bearder

 

With just one region to be declared the State of the Parties are:

UKIP: 24 MEPs with 29.1% share of the vote

LABOUR: 20 MEPs with 25.4% share of the vote

CONSERVATIVE: 19 MEPs with 7.9% share of the vote

LIB DEMs: 1 MEP with 6.9% share of the vote

OTHERS: 3 MEPS with 6.3% share of the vote

Scotland is still to declare

Voter turnout was 36%