The Conservative Party could end up with “zero” seats in this week’s European elections as they face an unprecedented “wipeout”, one of the party’s most senior MEPs has predicted.
Just weeks after the party lost more than 1,200 councillors in England they could be set for a total wipeout in Europe after Britain headed to the polls in one of the most hotly contested elections in decades.
Nigel Farage’s newly-formed Brexit party are expected to make significant gains in the elections, eating in to the Conservative’s 20 MEPs and most likely eradicating most UKIP seats.
After the polls closed Daniel Hannan, a leading Brexiteer who once led the Tories group in the European Parliament, said his party would pay a price for its failure to deliver Brexit.
“Thank you to everyone who voted for the Conservatives today. My sense, for what it’s worth, is that we are facing a total wipeout – zero MEPs. I just hope our next leader can get Brexit over the line,” he said.
Theresa May is expected to confirm her resignation today, with a successor expected to be put in place by early June.
The runaway frontrunner to replace her is Boris Johnson – who has suggested he might take Britain out of the EU without a deal.
Britain is set to leave the EU on 31 October 2019 if it does not get another extension to the Article 50 negotiating period.