European election results: Ukip leader Gerard Batten loses his seat

Ukip's leader has lost his seat at the European Parliament elections, in the latest blow for the disintegrating eurosceptic party.

Gerard Batten has held his seat in London for a decade but lost it on Sunday night after his voters switched to the Brexit Party.

Ukip won the 2014 European Parliament elections but are braced for massive losses to Nigel Farage's new breakaway group.

Mr Batten was already expected to step down after the elections to make way for a new leader in light of a poor performance in the polls.

His leadership was partly responsible for the Brexit Party's breakaway – with Mr Farage citing Mr Batten's anti-Islam rhetoric and closeness to far-right leader Tommy Robinson as reasons for his departure.

Mr Robinson, a former chief of the English Defence League, who stood as an independent candidate in the North West of England, also failed in his bid to be elected as an MEP.

The Ukip leader had appointed him as an advisor.

Ukip also suffered heavy losses at council elections last month, which the Brexit party did not contest. The party's has seen a major exodus of members, activists, and high-profile members since the founding of the Brexit Party.

As polls closed on Thursday Mr Batten said he hoped that "a large number of UKIP MEPs will be elected - so that we can work to help bring about our country’s complete and total exit from the European Union as quickly as possible".

As of midnight on Sunday it is unclear whether Ukip will win any MEPs. The Brexit Party looks set to top the contest in the UK.