UKIP make sweeping gains across the East in the Local Elections

UKIP are the big winners in the council elections in the East depriving the Conservative of their majorities on five councils.

The so-called "Essex man" voter valued by Margaret Thatcher appeared to be deserting the Conservatives as the party suffered losses to UKIP and lost control of flagship councils in south Essex.

• Basildon - Con lose to NOC

• Brentwood - Con lose to NOC

• Castle Point - Con lose to NOC

• Peterborough - Con lose to NOC

• Southend - Con lose to NOC

With some results still to be counted on Friday, UKIP have replaced the Lib Dems as the third place party with 34 councillors - 33 more than they had before the election.

The Conservative have so far lost 37 councillors and Labour have made eight gains.

Labour held their councils in Ipswich, Stevenage and Harlow but lost an already slim majority in Thurrock as UKIP took seats from them and the Conservatives.

Labour's majority on Harlow Council has been cut to just one as UKIP took seats from all parties.

The UK Independence Party has seats on the Essex council for the first time.

The high profile leader of Basildon Council Tony Ball has lost his seat on the council to UKIP.

His party has also lost its overall majority on the council they have run since 2003. UKIP made 11 gains on the council to replace Labour as the official opposition on what is now a hung council.

Labour's biggest success in the Anglia region was in Cambridge where the party re-gained control of the City Council for the first time in 14 years.

The Liberal Democrats had been in power since 2000 but lost seven of their councillors in a marathon count which took all night.

In Colchester, the Liberal Democrats remain the biggest party on what remains a hung council.