The former leader of Havering Council’s UKIP group, which was wiped out overnight and failed to win a single seat on the council, has said the borough’s residents will miss his party’s voice at town hall.

Lawrence Webb was elected to Gooshays ward in 2014 with 1,790 votes, but during yesterday’s election he won just 383 votes, with Labour claiming two seats in the ward and the newly formed Harold Hill Independent Party gaining the last.

He told the Recorder: “We’ve been wiped out, so of course it is very disappointing – it’s a sad day.

“There’s a common misconception that Brexit has already happened – but it hasn’t happened.

“We are still paying the EU while the transition period has been delayed two years and there is still freedom of movement.

“Brexit hasn’t happened yet and I firmly believe that under the Tories it never will.”

Mr Webb’s party gained a massive 20pc of the vote back in 2014 and had seven councillors sitting at town hall, but yesterday despite fielding 19 candidates across the borough, not a single UKIP representative was returned to sit on the council.

“There are a number of people across Havering who historically have voted for UKIP and I think it is a great shame that now their voices will not be represented.

“Havering’s democracy will be all the poorer for not having a UKIP voice in the town hall.”