Tim McNulty
EUROPEAN elections have seen an emphatic PSOE victory in Spain while UK results saw the Brexit party become the joint largest in the EU parliament.
The socialists took 1.5 million votes in Andalucia on the way to winning 20 seats and 32.8% of the vote nationwide.
Pedro Sanchez’s party left the conservative PP Party in second place on 12 seats, Ciudadanos with seven and six for the left-wing Unidos Podemos.
“We are going to be the biggest social democrat delegation in in the European Parliament, and that’s a source of pride for us,
“It’s an opportunity, but also an enormous responsibility,” said a triumphant Sanchez.
The European results saw euro-sceptic parties gain ground and far-right Vox MEPs entered the EU parliament for the first time, with three seats.
Turnout was high in the UK, where voting saw a punishing collapse in support for both Labour and the Conservatives.
Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party captured 31% of the vote and will now sit with Germany’s CDU party as the joint largest with 29 MEPs.
Farage said: “With a big, simple message – which is we’ve been badly let down by two parties who have broken their promises – we have topped the poll in a fairly dramatic style.”
The Liberal Democrats managed to achieve a solid second-place finish with 20% as pro-remain parties enjoyed an electoral boost.
Lib Dem Deputy leader Jo Swinson said the results ‘give hope to all of the people out of there who want to stop Brexit’, and that supporters ‘should not be giving up without a fight.’
The Conservative party meanwhile suffered their ‘worst ever result’ and landed in fifth place with only 10% of the vote.
“We voted to leave and we haven’t left – it’s that simple,” said MEP for the South East and Conservative Brexiteer Daniel Hannan.
Voters have also punished Labour for their muddling over Brexit with Jeremy Corbyn’s party finishing in third place overall with less than 15% of the vote.
Labour’s Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said: “The only way to break the Brexit impasse is to go back to the public with a choice between a credible leave option and remain.”
When Labour’s Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said: “The only way to break the Brexit impasse is to go back to the public with a choice between a credible leave option and remain.” why don’t the reporters ask him the obvious questions?
1. If the vote is hung or within a million how would you proceed.
2. If a second referendum is acceptable would you recommend a third if say the “people” or “MPs” were not happy with the second?
3. We are told “Business” is hurting from a lack of decision, how long would the second referendum take and would you then want a couple of years to implement the result?