THE CONSERVATIVE party has lost its majority control of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council following an eventful night at the count for the local elections.

The Tories – who lost one seat after tonight’s count – now have 29 seats on the borough council.

However, it was a good night for the borough’s Labour party who have gained an additional four seats following the count.

But, the biggest story of the night is the mystery surrounding supposed UKIP candidate Matthew Ellery, who won one of the two Brighton Hill South seats, coming second to Labour’s Pamela Lonie with 349 votes.

After coming second, the 20-year-old won the by-election seat for the ward following the recent resignation of Labour’s David Eyre.

However, confusion surrounds the candidate and whether he has won the seat for the party or he is standing as an Independent councillor after the Bournemouth University student was suspended by the party following offensive comments made on Facebook.

As reported by The Gazette, Matthew Ellery referred to women in Basingstoke as “pug ugly” and he also posted a comment on April 14 saying: “Genuinely feel like stabbing someone today!!!”

But despite his election agent, Phil Heath telling The Gazette that the party had suspended him, it was too late to withdraw him as their candidate and as a result, the 20-year-old remained on ballot papers as a UKIP candidate.