Summary

  • Updates from the general and local elections in south East England on 7 and 8 May 2015

  1. South East rounduppublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Ceri Perkins will be bringing you all the excitement from the general election in the South East on BBC South East Today.

    BBC graphic

    BBC reporters were at all the counts across the region.

    Ceri will be on air just after 14:00 BST.

  2. Left or right?published at 13:07 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    You can work out how close you are to the political centre by answering a few questions here.

    The five official survey questions have been asked almost every year since 1986. Your results will show where you stand on economic issues, compared with the rest of the population.

    But, according to research based on the British Social Attitudes survey - the centre ground is always moving.

  3. Worthing Borough Councilpublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    The Conservatives have retained control of Worthing Borough Counci, externall, gaining three seats.

    There were two Lib Dem losses and one independent loss.

    The new council is made up of 30 Conservatives, four Lib Dems, two UKIP and one Green. A third of the seats were up for grabs in the election.

  4. 'No Farage'published at 12:52 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Eleanor Broadbridge tweets: "Thank the Lord no farce of Farage in Thanet #GE2015 , external#SEvote"

  5. 'Will Labour change?'published at 12:45 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Sim tweets, external: "With us being on the cusp of political change… will Labour perhaps be able to genuinely challenge in coming years!? #SEVote"

  6. What do you think?published at 12:32 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Nick Tarver
    BBC News

    What do you think of the results of the 2015 general election and how do you think they will impact on the South East?

    House of Parliament

    Please tweet using the hashtag #SEVote, external and let us know.

  7. 'Fairer voting system'published at 12:28 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Tara North tweets, external: "It's time for a fairer voting system, where all our votes count and turn into seat representation in parliament."

  8. Leaders resignpublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage have resigned their leaderships of Labour, the Lib Dems and UKIP respectively.

    Let us know what you think about their decisions using the hashtag #SEVote, external.

  9. Results - where we standpublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    With only a handful of seats left to declare here are the main results as they stand in the UK:

    Graph

    Conservative 325, Labour 229, SNP 56, Lib Dem 8, DUP 8, Sinn Fein 4, Plaid Cymru 3, SDLP 3, UUP 2, UKIP 1, Green 1.

  10. 'It's a fix'published at 11:58 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Kelly Kaye tweets, external: "This is disgraceful UKIP have more votes but less seats, I myself and others say it's a fix pure and simple so explain it?!"

  11. South Thanetpublished at 11:46 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    The Conservative candidate Craig Mackinlay took the South Thanet seat with a majority of 2,812.

    Craig MackinlayImage source, AFP

    He said: "I'm delighted. I've given promises on Manston Airport and we're working, leaving no stone unturned, to make sure it opens.

    "I've got a fairly unique plan for the regeneration of Ramsgate."

  12. Door still open?published at 11:37 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Louise Stewart
    Political editor, South East

    Nigel Farage resigns as party leader but leaves the door open to come back.

  13. South Thanetpublished at 11:30 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Mr Farage says: "There's a bit of me that's disappointed but there's a bit of me that's happier than I've felt in many, many years."

  14. South Thanetpublished at 11:27 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    UKIP's Nigel Farage has resigned as the leader of the party after he lost the South Thanet seat.

  15. South Thanetpublished at 11:17 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Clare Tiptaft
    BBC Radio Kent

    Blimey. Farage left the stage before the rest of the speeches and was bundled into waiting car. All in less than a minute.

  16. Tandridge District Councilpublished at 11:14 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    The Conservatives have held control of Tandridge District Council, external after 14 out of the 42 seats were up for election.

    They retained 10 and took one seat off the Liberal Democrats and one from an Independent.

    The remaining two seats were won by the Lib Dems and an Independent candidate.

  17. UKIP in Kentpublished at 10:59 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Louise Stewart
    Political editor, South East

    The wheels have come off for UKIP in Kent. South Thanet was Nigel Farage's seventh attempt at a Westminster seat. Surely it'll be his last?

  18. South Thanetpublished at 10:50 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    UKIP leader Nigel Farage said on a personal level he's "never felt happier" with a "great weight" lifted from his shoulders after losing the South Thanet poll

    He added: "Five years ago on election day I was in intensive care after an aircraft crash. So compared to that this feels pretty damned good.

    "I would like to congratulate the PM - he has secured a Tory majority.

    "A lot of voters were so scared about a SNP/Labour coalition they swung to the Conservatives."

  19. South Thanetpublished at 10:43 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Conservative Craig Mackinlay is the new MP for South Thanet, beating UKIP leader Nigel Farage who came second.

    Mr Mackinlay polled 18,838 votes compared to Mr Farage's 16,026.

    Nigel Farage at count

    Mr Farage has previously said he would resign as leader if he failed to win the seat.

  20. South Thanetpublished at 10:35 British Summer Time 8 May 2015

    Nigel Farage has lost his bid to become MP for South Thanet, with the Conservatives holding the seat.