UKIP comes out on top in EU elections vote in the West Midlands

UKIP: 3

UKIP were predicted to do well in the European elections, and indeed they have - with three MEPs now in the West Midlands.

Elected MEP for the party Jill Seymour said she wants to ensure the public understand how the European Parliament works. UKIP has a low voting record at the Parliament, and she told ITV News Central she believes the party "needs to have a conversation" about the way it handles votes.

She said the record was due in part to the fact that the party does not want to be seen to engage in the EU process.

CONSERVATIVES: 2

The Conservatives came prepared for losses - and as the results came in, it became clear they had lost one MEP, bringing them down to two.

Anthea McIntyre MEP said she believed the success of UKIP was down to the "protest vote" by people who wanted to give the major parties a prod over matters of discontent, and said she believes the outcome will serves as a "wake up call to the parties that people are not happy".

LABOUR: 2

Labour came into the elections hoping to triumph, but had to settle for second place, gaining one seat from the Tories to put them even at two each in the West Midlands.

Neena Gill, one of the party's two MEPs in the region, welcomed the improvement from 2009 but added that it was "disappointing" not to do better.

She said the focus for she and her colleague will be to tackle high unemployment, and campaigning to bring in funding for new jobs in the region.

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS: 0

It was a disappointing night for the Lib Dems, who were wiped out in the West Midlands when their only MEP in the region failed to be re-elected.

INDEPENDENTS: 0

The West Midlands previously had two independent representatives - Nikki Sinclaire and Mike Nattress - but neither of them managed to keep hold of their seats.

WEST MIDLANDS VOTE BREAKDOWN

UKIP: 428,010

LABOUR: 363,033

CONSERVATIVE: 330,470

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS: 75,648