Ukip had landed and, as if reacting to an invasion by aliens, the native tribes – Labour, Tory and Lib Dem – simply did not know how to react.
Nigel Farage had been expected to grab between 75 and 100 extra councillors at best, but added nearly 130. Labour MPs and activists, who had tried largely to ignore Ukip's impending arrival as the fourth party in British politics, veered between admitting that it had been hit and that Ed Miliband had to do better, and trying to dismiss Ukip as still so small as to be largely irrelevant.
Confusion reigned throughout Friday across the new political landscape. The Conservatives, themselves damaged by the loss of more than 230 seats and 11 councils, said it was Labour that should be most worried, while the Lib Dems, down by more than 300 seats and two councils, said little.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/24/ukip-today-europe-tomorrow-britain
LONDON: Nigel Farage, leader of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP), on Sunday said his party was on course to cause a political "earthquake" as it took the lead in the European parliament election in Britain.
"UKIP is going to win this election and yes that will be an earthquake because never before in the history of British politics has a party seen as an insurgent party ever topped the polls in a national election," Farage told journalists.
His party, which wants Britain to exit the European Union, led the election in Britain with 12 seats after half of the 12 regions declared results.
The early results put the Conservatives of Prime Minister David Cameron second on nine seats, the main opposition Labour Party on eight seats and the Green Party and Plaid Cymru both on one.
The big early losers were Liberal Democrats, coalition partners in the national government, who were increasingly facing a total election wipeout.
If UKIP were to win, it would be the first time in over a century that a British national election has not been won by either of the mainstream Conservative or Labour parties.
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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/ukip-s-farage-predicts-eu/1121690.html
