UKIP puts focus on West Midlands after elections success

Based on results from the 2010 election, UKIP votes cost the Tories seats in Dudley North, Walsall North and Walsall South.

The respective Labour MPs in those constituencies - Ian Austin, David Winnick and Valerie Vaz - would be under severe pressure at the next election if UKIP agreed not to stand and voters transferred to the Tories.

In Dudley, Mr Austin has a majority of less than 700 in a seat where UKIP polled more than 3,200 votes in 2010.

Mr Winnick's majority four years ago was just 990 in a constituency where UKIP polled 1,737 votes.

And Ms Vaz had a 1,755 majority over the Conservatives - in aseat where UKIP got 3,449 votes.

Clearly, any deal would benefit Conservative candidates

rty spokesmen in the region are to talk with leader Nigel Farage about putting the area's seats among those they will target to win in 2015.

The Black Country and Cannock Chase have some of the key marginal seats both Labour and the Tories need to win if either are to have a chance of forming a majority government.

It comes after the party won the European Parliament election – the first time in modern history that the Tories or Labour failed to win the most seats.

UKIP also gained 21 council seats in Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Cannock Chase and Wyre Forest. They won seven in Dudley and three in Walsall.

In Cannock Chase, UKIP became the official opposition on the district council after winning enough seats to put them level with the Tories. The stalemate was resolved with the shock decision of Rawnsley councillor Jodie Jones, fiancee of Conservative MP Aidan Burley, to resign the party whip and stand as an independent.

Mr Burley is standing down as an MP in 2015 when Grahame Wiggin, 70, will contest the seat for UKIP. He said: "The Tories and Labour say this is a key marginal. They will have a hell of a fight on their hands."

UKIP's Bill Etheridge, who won a seat in the European Parliament and a Dudley Council seat in Sedgley, is the prospective Parliamentary candidate in Dudley North. He said: "I think we're becoming the main opposition to Labour around here."

Ian Austin, Labour MP for Dudley North, said: "When UKIP have to tell local people why they believe they should pay to see their GP, why their local hospital should be privatised and why ordinary families in Dudley should pay much higher taxes so that the super-rich and millionaire city bankers like Nigel Farage can pay much less in taxes, they will see that this is not a party that is on their side."