Vote 2012: Reaction to local election results

Senior politicians have been reacting to results in the English and Welsh local elections, in which Labour scored a string of victories.

David Cameron, Conservative leader

"While I'm sorry that Conservative councillors who worked hard lost their seats, in places like Amber Valley in Derbyshire, the heart of England - a part that's actually been Labour for decades, we still have a Conservative council.

"Obviously, when you're taking difficult decisions, when we're trying to bring the country out of the debt, the deficit, and the broken economy that Labour left us, there aren't easy decisions.

"But we've got to make sure we do everything to demonstrate that we're on the side of people who work hard and do the right thing for themselves and their families.

"That's who we're fighting for, that's who we must govern for."

Ed Miliband, Labour leader

"People are hurting, people are suffering. People are suffering from the recession.

"People are suffering from a government that has raised taxes for them and has cut taxes for millionaires.

"I think that's what we saw last night and I hope David Cameron takes some notice. And this is where we've got more work to do, in saying to those people, 'Look, Labour can change Britain for the better.'

"I know you've invested your hopes in politicians before and they've disappointed you, but we can change this country so it works for you."

Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat leader

"It's been a disappointing and difficult night for the Liberal Democrats.

"I'm really sad that so many colleagues and friends, Liberal Democrat councillors who've worked so hard, so tirelessly for so many years, for communities and families in their local areas, have lost their seats.

"I want to pay tribute to all the great work that they have done. I'm determined that we will continue to play our role in rescuing, repairing and reforming the British economy.

"It's not an easy job and it can't be done overnight but our duty is to boost jobs and investment and to restore a sense of hope and optimism to our country."

Nigel Farage, UKIP leader

"It's good steady progress, and it reflects the last 18 months, that our share of the vote is going up and up and up.

"Yes, we're getting Conservatives voting for us, but it's not just Conservatives, because those results are the same in Labour seats as they are in Tory seats.

"People used to just lend their vote to UKIP, in a European election, and indeed we've done very well in a couple of those, but now they're becoming UKIP voters in all forms of elections.

"If we can continue this momentum, then next year and the year after, we will start to win council seats in real numbers."

George Galloway, Respect Party

"Five weeks, five seats - wait until we've been here 52 weeks. This is a sensational result; it's the story of the night, I think. Respect has won seats off all the main parties. They are demanding change in Bradford and we're determined to deliver it."

<bold>· All the latest election results are available at </bold> <link> <caption>bbc.co.uk/vote2012</caption> <altText>BBC Vote 2012 special report and results service</altText> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17270000" platform="highweb"/> </link>