Ukip leader and councillor Graham Snell has hit out against their party being “forced out” following last night’s allocation of council chairs.

Out of nine contested committee between Ukip and other parties, including Planning and Corporate Scrutiny, nine went to Tory or Labour candidates.

The voting of Labour and Tory parties meant that Ukip received no chairs of key committee seats or scrutiny committees nor any ceremonial roles.

Mr Snell called the outcome “astonishing”.

He said: “This was not expected at all. You have got red and blue cooperating together to force us out, which is astonishing.

“We were denied some of the chairs. Who would have thought it?

“At the election, we won six seats and Labour lost their seats. We were also pulling ten points ahead of the Tories – so there is no great public desire for a Tory administration. You have got a failed administration.

“What we are seeing is Labour and the Tories doing a back room deal to keep the party that actually won the most votes out of the picture.”

“I didn’t think that would happen. I heard the speech of John Kent saying he hoped people would work together for the good of Thurrock – that didn’t happen tonight.”

“We have been telling people for a long time there’s not much difference between the Tories and Labour and they proved it tonight.

“We will see how it goes. You can be sure there’ll be a hearing for us the coming year.”

New Council Leader Rob Gledhill said councillors had been voted in based on ‘experience’ in response to allegations of 'back-room deals'.

He said: “We bring as councillors our previous experience. You need someone who going to be strong and control that meeting and come to a big decision, which is why I backed all the Ukip candidates to be vice-chairs.

“In the nicest possible way, Ukip need to know the terrain.”

Responding to fears of a ‘backlash’ in getting motions through, Mr Gledhill said: “It will be difficult but I really want consensual politics to be continued.

“If it doesn’t then the problem is the council will stagnate and if this happens we won’t serve the people of Thurrock.”