Seven political parties plus independents are vying for votes - Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, UK Independence Party, British National Party, The Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts and the British Democrat Party.

BBC: Leicestershire election 2013: Parties prepare for battle

The Conservatives finished third in Eastleigh, in Hampshire - behind the Liberal Democrats and the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

BBC: chris grayling

That's Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the UK Independence Party, the SNP, the Greens, Plaid Cymru and Sinn Fein.

BBC: My week as an MEP - My aims

The Liberal Democrats fielded candidates for all six of the now uncontested wards and the UK Independence Party (UKIP) fielded four.

BBC: Wiltshire

Liberal Democrat Ainsley Arnold received 10, 653 (9.78%) votes with the UK Independence Party's Louise Bours polling 8, 557 (7.86%) votes.

BBC: Cheshire PCC election: Conservative John Dwyer wins

The two major parties which are entirely unambiguous in their opposition to HS2 are the Greens and the UK Independence Party: UKIP, currently riding high in the polls, are fielding more candidates in Staffordshire than the Liberal Democrats while the Greens are fielding more than the Lib Dems in Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

BBC: HS2 spells double trouble in next week's council poll