The UK Independence Party is making "steady progress", despite seeing only limited gains in the local council elections, party leader Nigel Farage said today.
Mr Farage said they had seen their share of the vote rise across the country, even though it had failed to translate into a big increase in their tally of council seats.
"Our share of the vote is going up and up and up, very steadily, very surely," he told BBC News.
"Yes, we are getting Conservatives voting for us but it is not just Conservatives because those results are the same in Labour seats as they are in Tory seats.
"We haven't quite got to the level where we are bursting through and winning seats in very large numbers. If we continue this momentum, then next year and the year after we will start to win council seats in real numbers."
He said that Ukip's appeal was not simply confined to European issues.
"We are talking about immigration, the fact that we still have a total open door to the whole of eastern Europe. We are talking about green taxes and the damage it is doing to British industry. We are talking about the need for selective education. There is a whole raft of policies here," he said.
"For the Tories to attempt to eat into our vote it will mean Mr Cameron changing its entire manifesto."
Elections
London Mayoral Election(01 of45)
Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha leave the polling station at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London, after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)
Local council elections(02 of45)
SNP Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon casts her vote at Broomhouse Halls polling station in Glasgow, as Scots go to the polls today to elect their local councillors. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(03 of45)
Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont at Berryknowe Resource Centre polling station in Glasgow, as Scots go to the polls today to elect their local councillors. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(04 of45)
SNP Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon arrives to cast her vote at Broomhouse Halls polling station in Glasgow, as Scots go to the polls today to elect their local councillors. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(05 of45)
A voter arrives at Berryknowe Resource Centre polling station in Glasgow, as Scots go to the polls today to elect their local councillors. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(06 of45)
Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont (left) and local candidate Alistair Watson (right) at Berryknowe Resource Centre polling station in Glasgow, as Scots go to the polls today to elect their local councillors. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(07 of45)
Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha leave the polling station at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London, after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(08 of45)
Ken Livingstone and his wife Emma arrive at their local polling station in north London with their son Tom, to cast their votes in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(09 of45)
Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha arrive at the polling station in Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London, before voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(10 of45)
Ken Livingstone and his wife Emma leave their local polling station in north London with their dog Coco and children Mia and Tom after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(11 of45)
Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha leave the polling station at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London, after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(12 of45)
Ken Livingstone and his wife Emma leave their local polling station in north London with their dog Coco after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(13 of45)
Ken Livingstone and his wife Emma leave their local polling station in north London after voting in mayoral and council elections. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(14 of45)
Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha leave the polling station at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London, after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(15 of45)
Ken Livingstone and his wife Emma leave their local polling station in north London after voting in mayoral and council elections. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(16 of45)
Ken Livingstone and his wife Emma leave their local polling station in north London after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(17 of45)
Labour leader Ed Miliband and his wife Justine arrive at their local polling station in north London to vote in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(18 of45)
Labour leader Ed Miliband and his wife Justine leave their local polling station in north London after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(19 of45)
Labour leader Ed Miliband and wife Justine arrive at their local polling station in Highgate, north London, to vote in the elections for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. (credit:Matt Crossick/EMPICS Entertainment)
London Mayoral Election(20 of45)
Labour leader Ed Miliband and wife Justine arrive at their local polling station in Highgate, north London, to vote in the elections for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. (credit:Matt Crossick/EMPICS Entertainment)
Local council elections(21 of45)
Ballot boxes are sent out to polling stations around Edinburgh from the council headquarters ahead of the local elections tomorrow. (credit:David Cheskin/PA Wire)
Local council elections(22 of45)
A voter arrives to cast a vote at Broomhouse Halls polling station in Glasgow, as Scots go to the polls today to elect their local councillors. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(23 of45)
A voter arrives to cast a vote at Broomhouse Halls polling station in Glasgow, as Scots go to the polls today to elect their local councillors. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(24 of45)
Ballot boxes are sent out to polling stations around Edinburgh from the council headquarters ahead of the local elections tomorrow. (credit:David Cheskin/PA Wire)
Local council elections(25 of45)
Ballot boxes are sent out to polling stations around Edinburgh from the council headquarters ahead of the local elections tomorrow. (credit:David Cheskin/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(26 of45)
Boris Johnson and his wife Marina Wheeler leave their local polling station in London after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Sean Dempsey/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(27 of45)
Boris Johnson and his wife Marina Wheeler arrive at their local polling station in London to vote in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Sean Dempsey/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(28 of45)
Boris Johnson and his wife Marina Wheeler leave their local polling station in London after voting in the mayoral and council elections. (credit:Sean Dempsey/PA Wire)
London Mayoral Election(29 of45)
Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Party leader Nick Clegg arrives to cast his vote in the local elections at the Park Hill community centre in his constituency in Stannington in Sheffield. (credit:Christopher Furlong/WPA-Rota)
London Mayoral Election(30 of45)
Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Party leader Nick Clegg arrives to cast his vote in the local elections at the Park Hill community centre in his constituency in Stannington in Sheffield. (credit:Christopher Furlong/WPA-Rota)
A man watches the vote count status on s(31 of45)
A man watches the vote count status on screens inside City Hall in London as results are tallied in the London Mayoral and local elections on May 4, 2012. Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative Party took a bashing Friday in mid-term local elections, capping a bad month for the government after Britain slid back into recession. However, early vote indications showed Conservative Boris Johnson may hold on to the mayor's job in London in the year of the 2012 Olympics. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Two men watch the vote count status on s(32 of45)
Two men watch the vote count status on screens inside City Hall as results are tallied in the London Mayoral and local elections on May 4, 2012. Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative Party took a bashing Friday in mid-term local elections, capping a bad month for the government after Britain slid back into recession. However, early vote indications showed Conservative Boris Johnson may hold on to the mayor's job in London in the year of the 2012 Olympics. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Local council elections(33 of45)
Labour leader Ed Miliband in Victoria Square, Birmingham, after Labour made significant gains in the mid-term local elections. (credit:Rui Vieira/PA Wire)
Local council elections(34 of45)
Labour leader Ed Miliband in Victoria Square, Birmingham, after Labour made significant gains in the mid-term local elections. (credit:Rui Vieira/PA Wire)
Local council elections(35 of45)
Labour leader Ed Miliband congratulates Labour Group leader Sir Albert Bore (right) in Victoria Square, Birmingham, after Labour made significant gains in the mid-term local elections. (credit:Rui Vieira/PA Wire)
Local council elections(36 of45)
Edinburgh City Council votes are counted at the Meadowbank stadium, Edinburgh. (credit:David Cheskin/PA Wire)
Local council elections(37 of45)
Edinburgh City Council votes are counted at the Meadowbank stadium, Edinburgh. (credit:David Cheskin/PA Wire)
Local council elections(38 of45)
(From left to right) First Minister Carwyn Jones, Cardiff Council leader Heather Joyce and Shadow Wales Secretary Peter Hain celebrate the party's local government election win in the Welsh capital in Queen Street, Cardiff. (credit:Benjamin Wright/PA Wire)
Local council elections(39 of45)
Respect Party leader George Galloway at the party's Bradford HQ after they won five seats on the Bradford Council, including that of the Labour leader. (credit:Dave Higgens/PA Wire)
Local council elections(40 of45)
Respect Party leader George Galloway with supporters at the party's Bradford HQ after they won five seats on the Bradford Council, including that of the Labour leader. (credit:Dave Higgens/PA Wire)
Local council elections(41 of45)
Scottish Labour Leader Johann Lamont (right), MP Margaret Curran (left) and Labour leader Gordon Matheson at the SECC in Glasgow, as votes are counted in the Glasgow City Council elections. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(42 of45)
Scottish Labour Leader Johann Lamont (left) and Labour leader Gordon Matheson at the SECC in Glasgow as votes are counted in the Glasgow City Council elections. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(43 of45)
Scottish Labour Leader Johann Lamont at the SECC in Glasgow as votes are counted in the Glasgow City Council elections. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(44 of45)
SNP Leader Allison Hunter (left) and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (right) at the SECC in Glasgow as votes are counted in the Glasgow City Council elections. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Local council elections(45 of45)
Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson (left) with David Meikle at the SECC in Glasgow as votes are counted in the Glasgow City Council elections. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)