The UK Independence Party (UKIP) saw its share of the vote in Leicester and across the region drop significantly.

This was in contrast to the national picture, where they faired better and their share of the vote left them in second place.

In 2004, when Robert Kilroy-Silk was a candidate for UKIP in the East Midlands, his celebrity status brought huge success.

In Leicester, UKIP attracted 19% of the vote in 2004.

In the European election, their share dropped to 8.5%.

Alistair Jones, a politics specialist at De Montfort University, Leicester, said people in the city were unlikely to have voted on European issues.

He said: "Good things the EU do aren't reported on, but the bad things are slated in the press.

"The electorate is disengaged with Europe and dissatisfied with Labour nationally, which has led to these results. I can't see this being repeated in a General Election. UKIP will struggle to get 5%."

Mr Kilroy-Silk resigned from UKIP soon after the last elections.

Mr Jones said many "disaffected Tory voters" who selected UKIP and Mr Kilroy-Silk last time round appeared to have returned to the Conservatives.