EU elections: how the Vale voted and the reactions

The Conservatives were routed by Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party in a dramatic set of European election results.

Labour also suffered as voters rallied around clear alternatives offered by Mr Farage and the pro-EU Liberal Democrats.

In the Vale, the Brexit Party earned 31.5 per cent of votes, with Liberal Democrats second on 17 per cent - almost 14 points up on the previous election.

Plaid Cymru saw their share increase to 15.3 per cent, an increase of five per cent, while Labour took fourth place with 11.5, a loss of almost 12 points.

The scale of the Tory disaster was underlined by its single-digit vote share - Conservatives lost 17.2 points, taking fifth place with 9.9 per cent, while the Green Party enjoyed a boost to 8.2 per cent, an increase of more than three points.

Similar votes across Wales earned the recently formed Brexit Party two MEPs for Wales - Nathan Gill and James Wells, with the two remaining spots going to Plaid’s pick Jill Evans and Labour’s Jacqueline Jones.

Plaid Cymru Vale and Barry Town councillor Ian Johnson said: “For the first time ever, Plaid Cymru beat both Labour and the Conservatives in the Vale of Glamorgan and across Wales.

“Now that we know what would happen, there should be a second referendum in which all participants are bound by the rules to be open and honest.”

Across the UK, just three Conservatives were elected in England and Wales, while the Brexit Party had 28 seats, overhauling the 24 MEPs that Mr Farage’s former party Ukip sent to the European Parliament in 2014.

The Lib Dems, reduced to a single MEP in 2014, are on 15 after their best ever European results.

Labour has 10, halved from 20, and the Greens - who also enjoyed a boost from pro-EU voters - were on seven, up from three.

Wales Green Party leader and Penarth resident, Anthony Slaughter said: “This election wasn’t just about Brexit - the Green Party continually ensure that climate change and austerity driven inequality are on top of the political agenda and with a huge increase in vote share across England and Wales, this shows public concern for climate change has never been greater.

“People demand action, and the Green Party is the only party that promises to do that based on a record of real delivery.”

The Labour MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, Stephen Doughty said: “It’s absolutely clear that tens of thousands of those who would normally support Welsh Labour have done exactly what they told us on the doorsteps in Penarth and Cardiff they would do - send a wake up call to our Welsh and UK leaderships that our position on Brexit is not clear enough and that we need to unequivocally back a public vote so everyone can have a final say.

“Many in Penarth have told me they support myself and my local team on our clear position on Brexit but felt they had to send a message on this occasion.”

First Minister for Wales Mark Drakeford said Labour’s poor results was down to a “too complicated” party position, after criticism for not taking a clear stance on a second EU referendum.

Mr Drakeford has now backed a second referendum.

Mr Doughty welcomed the move, saying: This is clear and unequivocal and very welcome clarity for our position from the First Minister.

“”The real story of the Wales result is actually that Wales has now become a remain nation, even if you don’t include Labour, which I do.”

He noted that the combined votes cast in Wales for remain parties Change UK, the Green Party, Labour, Lib Dem and Plaid Cymru outweigh those for the Brexit Party, the Conservatives and Ukip by more than 120,000.

Andrew RT Davies, Conservative Assembly member for South Wales Central and member of the Vale council for Rhoose, said: “People across Wales voted to leave the EU in 2016. The following year, 83 per cent voted for parties who said they’d respect the result and deliver Brexit.

“On Sunday, the Brexit Party got half of our MEPs in Wales.

“Labour’s response is to call a second referendum. Have they not got the hint?”