LOCAL ELECTIONS 2018: UKIP to 'continue helping communities as best we can' after losing both its seats on Daventry District Council

UKIP lost both its seats to Labour in the Abbey North and Drayton wards.

Adam Collyer came last in the Abbey North with 73 votes, and Gary Denby came third in the voting for Woodford ward ahead of the Lib Dem and Green candidates. It did not defend its Drayton seat.

"Simple disappointment that the general public are voting blue for quite a novice candidate it would appear," was Mr Denby's reaction to Thursday's poll.

"However, we are quite busy rebuilding our finances, our policies and our supporters and hopefully we will be ready to rejoin the battle in two years' time.

"I suspect we'll be re-voting for the lot in two years' time. The writing seems to be on the wall for the county and district councils.

"But it's an opportunity to perhaps bring a new unitary together with a committee system which is more open and accountable, perhaps they'll get the finances in order, perhaps they'll resolve some of the problems with the pet projects they've been developing at different levels."

"We will continue to meet to review what is happening in the local area and do our best to influence how and where we can.

"Certainly there's still a number of us at the parish level working away as best we can although that is apolitical in most sense of the word.

"So I think we'll continue to help our communities as best we can."