Local Election Results: Ukip Gain Ground as Labour Lead

• Main Summary: Ukip and Labour achieve gains

• Labour gains 'Cameron's favourite borough' Hammersmith and Fulham

• Conservatives losing more councils then all other parties combined
• Nick Clegg refuses to resign and David Cameron rejects calls for a partnership with Ukip at next year's general election
• Ed Miliband criticised after Labour failed to gain majority control in these elections
  
• PNS predicts Lib Dems will finish fourth in 2015 general election

17:00

Just about to close down the blog as the elections draws to a close, with all parties knowing what they need to do before 2015.

Labour need to improve their majority, Tories need to regain their lost voters, Ukip need to improve in London and the Lib Dems stop their decline before they completely fall off the political map.

Here's one last as it stands before I go:

16:23 Does anyone remember the British National Party?

15:43

The BBC has reported on the projected national share, which predicts what the results would be if today was a general election.

According to the estimates, Labour would finish top with 31% - still not enough for an out and out victory - and Ukip would officially become the third biggest political party in the UK.

Despite promising an "earthquake" at these elections, Ukip's PNS has actually fallen 6% compared to last year.

15:35

15:28 Labour have lost Great Yarmouth to NOC, partially thanks to 10 seat gain for Ukip.

14:55 Our political editor Nick Assinder has also chipped in with a comment on Miliband, suggesting Labour's success in London has been a saving grace for him this year.

He said:

While Ukip denied the opposition the sort of national mid-term breakthrough it needs to feel secure about its 2015 election strategy, the capital bucked the trend and turned red.

Labour seized some key Tory councils including Croydon, where Tony Benn's granddaughter Emily was elected, and the jewel of Hammersmith and Fulham, branded David Cameron's favourite council and seen as a surprise victory for Miliband."

While we're on the subject of Labour, the party have taken yet another seat from the Tories, this time in Crawley

14:43 IB Times UK business writer Ian Silvera has wrote a follow up to Cameron's response to the elections on Twitter earlier.

He writes:

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has backed the government's record on the economy and the number of jobs created under the coalition as his party lost more than one hundred seats in the 2014 council elections.

The Conservative Party leader took to Twitter in reaction to the news that the UK Independence Party (Ukip) had gained more than 90 new council seats, while his party had lost nine councils and 126 councillors [1245 BST] at the polls.

You can read the rest of the article here:

14:37

14:33 Labour and Ed Miliband have yet again been criticised for failing to reach a wider selection of votes in this election, but now it is coming from inside their own party.

Backbencher John Mann described Miliband's strategy of ignoring Ukip as "disasterous".

He told told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "He's not broadening the appeal to take into account the views of people like me and other MPs and the views of our constituents.

"That isn't happening, that's why they didn't take on Ukip. Some of the pointy heads at the top of the party thought that Ukip doing well is what we needed."

The Bassetlaw MP also told the Guardian: "It was a tremendously ill-judged campaign, in particular the deliberate decision made not to attack Ukip. Some of the so-called strategists at the top of the Labour party think Ukip doing well is good news because it will damage Cameron. Well, they need to get out of their ivory towers and get back into the real world."

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls also described the results as "not good enough" and the party now need to talk about "tough control on immigration" to win back Ukip voters.

13:25

13:13 As it Stands

We've had to wait till nearly 1pm but we finally have a shot of Farage drinking in a pub.

Also, we apologise for the lack of news about the Lib Dems. This is due to the lack of news about the Lib Dems.

12:50 Labour have taken another seat from the Conservatives in Amber Valley.

12:36 Cameron has reiterated that his party will not do a deal with Ukip in order to succeed at the 2015 general election.

He told Sky News: "We're the Conservative party - we don't do pacts and deals. We'll be fighting all out to win the next election."

He added it is up to local counsellors whether they decide to form a partnership.

"Obviously our local councils will make their own decisions about how best to deliver local services at low cost for local people. And that's the right way forward," he said.

12:16 Our political editor Nick Assinder has commented on the results so far. He writes:

Farage had every reason to claim he was the "fox in the Westminster hen house" and that Ukip must now be viewed as serious players in a four-party system and could no longer just be dismissed as "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists".

Meanwhile, the other party leaders were facing exactly the internal criticisms and pressures they were always likely to face, and from the predictable sources.

You can read the rest of the article here.

12:03 Some more results coming through. In Weymouth and Portland, it remains an NOC. Labour have held onto Sefton and Nuneaton and Bedworth, while the Tories hold onto Solihull, Broxbourne and Tamworth.

11:53 Speaking in Thurrock - a which Labour lost to NOC as Ukip won five seats - Farage explained the real reason Ukip hasn't done well in London is not because people are more educated or media savy, but the party lacks the "voluntary structure" the others have.

He also rejected the suggestion Ukip's gain this year is merely down to protest votes against the other parties.

11:35

11:24 Labour are said to have held onto every seat in Barnsley so far, including Kingstone, Cudworth and Worsbrough.

11: 09 Nick Clegg has told BBC News that he will not be resigning following today's results. The Lib Dems have had no gains so far, and have lost control of Kingston-upon-Thames and Portsmouth.

He said: "The Liberal Democrats, all of us under my leadership, realised that it was going to be tough, going to be difficult. Joining the coalition was controversial in the first place. Having to take these really painstaking decision to get the economy right - of course that's not going to be universally popular.

"And there is a very strong mood of restlessness and dissatisfaction with mainstream politics. And that's reflected in the results for all the mainstream parties, including the Liberal Democrats."

10:54: Ed Miliband has just given an interview to Sky News about the results so far.

He said: "Labour leader Ed Miliband on UKIP gains in traditional Labour strongholds: "In some parts of the country we have had discontent building up for decades about the way the country has been run and about the way our economy works ... So what you see in some parts of the country is people turning to UKIP as an expression of discontent and that desire for change.

"I believe we can persuade those people that Labour can offer answers to them and the challenges they see in their own lives."

10:51 As it Stands

10:41 On Channel 4 News, Gove says the "biggest story" so far is Labour's failure to truly establish themselves as the winner of the next election.

Just to recap, Labour have gained five councils so far: Croydon, Redbridge, Merton, Cambridge, and Hammersmith and Fulham.

10:40 Ed Miliband has just given an interview to Sky News about the results so far.

He said: "Labour leader Ed Miliband on UKIP gains in traditional Labour strongholds: "In some parts of the country we have had discontent building up for decades about the way the country has been run and about the way our economy works ... So what you see in some parts of the country is people turning to UKIP as an expression of discontent and that desire for change.

"I believe we can persuade those people that Labour can offer answers to them and the challenges they see in their own lives."

10:36 The Green Party are celebrating gaining three new councillors in Bristol, Tim Malnick (Bishopston), Martin Fodor (Redland) and Charlie Bolton (Southville).

10:25 Elsewhere, BBC Radio 4 have released an audio of Ukip communities spokesperson Suzanne Evans describing Londoners as "too educated" and "media savy" to vote for her party:

10:20 The Guardian have reported that Labour MP Graham Allen has issued a statement saying he is "surprised" the main parties have not peformed worse than expected.

He adds: "I am surprised not by the beating given to conventional politics by the British people but by their continued tolerance of the complacent, fearful, depoliticised main parties. It is a slap on the wrists not a kicking.

"We have all been given another year to re-create our mission, our belief, purpose and relevance to the public. It may be our last chance."

10:08

09:58 My colleague Dom Gover his summary on the results so far, including Farage's "fox in the Westminster hen house" statement.

Nigel Farage Hails Big Local Election Gains

09:46 The education secretary Michael Gove and Tory chairman Grant Schapps have already dismissed the ideal of a deal between the Conservatives and Ukip and next year's general election, whereas Jacob Rees-Mogg has suggested if the parties do not agree on a partnership then "both sides [could] end up losing".

According to Sky News, based on today's results, Labour would have 308 seats at the 2015 general election – not enough to gain an overall majority.

09:38 It was during the 2013 council elections that people began to realise Ukip could drift in from the fringes of politics. Nick Clegg said it was "understandable" why people would vote for party, with Cameron adding their rise prove there are "major lessons for the major political parties".

Westminister journalist Tony Grew added it would be "hard to imagine" the general election 2015 TV debates having anything other than four podiums.

09:23 Another gain for Labour, as they take control of Redbridge from NOC

The mood currently is Labour have failed to capitalise fully on Tories losing their slip, despite gaining more than 100 seats so far

09:05 According to the BBC, this is how the polls now stand:

08:54 The voting turnout so far currently 36%, an increase on the 2012. As expected, the Tories have also gained control of Richmond-upon-Thames with a 10 seat gain.

Elsewhere in London, Conservatives hold onto Bexely despite losing seven seats.

Also, here's Labour's David Prescott putting that "earthquake" into perspective

08:48 Labour wins majority in Croydon from the Tories.

08:20 Some positive news for the Lib Dems as they retain Sutton

Farage is already describing his party as the "fox in the Westminster hen house" because of today's results.

He added: "There are areas of the country where now we have got an imprint in local government. Under the first-past-the-post system we are serious players."

08:28 As It Stands

08:15 Good morning and welcome to the IB Times UK's live coverage of the 2014 local elections.

As is expected, there will be a huge focus on whether Ukip will deliver on their promise of causing an "earthquake" at this year's election and so far there are at least causing a minor tremble.

As of right now, Nigel Farge's party have gained 102 seats , but have failed to take control of any councils.

Some of the other major headlines include Labour taking control of Hammersmith and Fulham, a council held by the Tories since 2002 and considered David Cameron's favourite council. There have also took control of Cambridge and Merton, both areas of no overall control (NOC).

The Conservatives are losing seats but perhaps not in quite a dramatic way as expected. One of the biggest shocks of so far is the night so far is the Tories losing control of Basildon after Ukip gained 11 seats in the Essex area.

And don't worry, we haven't forgot about the Lib Dems, but unfortunately most of the voting public have. The party are currently down 51 down and have lost control of Portsmouth to NOC. There did made to hold onto Sutton, gaining four seats.

Speaking in Thurrock, Farage has explained the real reason Ukip hasn't done weel in London is not because people are more educated or media savy, but the party lacks the "voluntary structure" as the others do.

Labour criticised for failing to gain majority control in these elections

Projected national share

Lab 31%

Con 29%

Ukip 17%

Lib Dem 13%

Others 10%

PNS predicts Lib Dems will finish fourth in 2015 general election