Yorkshire First has vowed to carry on after the General Election.

The new party fielded 14 candidates across Yorkshire in its first General Election after being formed just a year ago.

In the Colne Valley its candidate Paul Salveson got 572 votes.

He said: “There’s no doubt we were squeezed between the two main parties. We got a very good reception at the many hustings events but when it came to putting a cross on the ballot paper, people voted for the safer bet.

"Our support came from across the political spectrum including some disillusioned Labour voters but some non-voters, former Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. We presented a positive and progressive message based on extending devolution to Yorkshire, with the same sort of powers which Scotland, Wales and London already have.

"Labour has lost the plot in Scotland and it will be increasingly vulnerable in its traditional heartlands in the north of England where it will be challenged by progressive regionalist parties like ourselves.

“Looking ahead to the next two to three years, we need to establish a strong local base, getting local councillors elected. We will continue our campaign for a directly-elected assembly for Yorkshire instead of the unaccountable and undemocratic combined authority which has been imposed on us.”

Yorkshire First leader Richard Carter said: “Looking ahead to the next two to three years, we need to establish a strong local base, getting local councillors elected and take inspiration from north of the border.

"The SNP got a smaller share of the vote in their first election in the 1920s than we did yesterday and look where they are now!”