LABOUR in Wirral will be digesting the Tories' success in the European Elections.

The Conservatives made up lost ground in the North West, winning five of the regions' 10 seats for Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

As the votes came in, Labour and the Conservatives remained close until the last few results were announced, revaling that the Tories had edged in front.

The election, which attracted a poll of just over 20 per cent, turned out to be a disaster for Labour as they lost six of the ten seats they had previously held.

Some small comfort for Labour was the party doing well in its urban strongholds, which included Birkenhead, Ellesmere Port and Wallasey.

The ground-breaking election was the first in England to use a system of proportional representation. Unlike traditional elections, the new system means you do not vote for individual candidates, but for a party.

The ten MEPs from the North West region will now make up part of Britain's representation of 87 in the European Parliament.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.