Farage hails Ukip victory at the polls
NIGEL Farage hailed a “breakthrough night” for Ukip after the anti- Brussels party made electoral gains across the country and won seats in the Welsh Assembly for the first time.
The party saw more than 20 new councillors elected to councils and it took six seats on the Welsh Assembly, which saw dramatic political comebacks for former Tory MPs Neil Hamilton and Mark Reckless.
Mr Farage said his people’s army was “really biting hard” into the Labour vote.
Ukip was now confirmed as “the third biggest party in the United Kingdom by a country mile”, he declared.
The party leader said: “Many traditional Labour voters look at Jeremy Corbyn and look at the Labour party and see that it’s gone way to the Left – and doesn’t look very patriotic. It completely refuses to engage with issues such as immigration.
“Unless the Labour party changes course then Ukip will continue to go on growing at the expense of Labour.”
And he insisted that the Ukip vote surge will help the campaign for an EU exit in next month’s referendum.
Mr Farage said: “I am delighted at the significant breakthrough Ukip has made in Wales. It is a victory not just for the party or myself but especially one for our leader in Wales, Nathan Gill.
“He is an honest, decent, hardworking man and I have found him to be a loyal ally at all times.
“I want him to lead our now large voice in Wales to campaign for Brexit.
“I look forward to my next trip to Cardiff, despite the tolls.”
Mr Hamilton’s election marked a spectacular return to mainstream politics.
He was a Tory minister but quit in a financial scandal and lost his seat to independent anti- sleaze campaigner Martin Bell at the 1997 general election.
Mr Reckless defected to Ukip from the Tories last year but lost his Rochester and Strood seat at the last general election.
Ukip won six seats on Thurrock Council and missed out on being the largest party by a single vote.
The party also came second to Labour in two Westminster byelections – Ogmore, in South Wales, and Sheffield Brightside, in South Yorkshire.