Image copyright AP Image caption Nigel Farage's UKIP won the largest vote share at the European elections

The UK Independence Party spent almost as much as the Conservatives at this year's European elections - while the Lib Dems outspent Labour, Electoral Commission figures show.

UKIP, which won May's election, spent £2,956,737, while the Tories' campaign expenditure was £2,980,815,

The Lib Dems spent £1,580,575 and lost all but one of their MEPs - Labour, which came second, spent £1,027,339.

The figures cover the campaign period from 23 January to polling day, 22 May.

UKIP's campaign spending works out at 68p for each of their 4,376,635 votes. For Labour it is 26p per vote, the Conservatives 79p and the Lib Dems, who lost 11 of their 12 MEPs, £1.45. The Green Party, which came fourth, spent £534,249 on its campaign - 43p for each of its 1,255,573 votes.

Including the SNP's £267,372, the six highest-spending parties spent a total of £9,347,087 on campaigning, the Electoral Commission said.

All but Labour spent more than they did during the 2009 European election campaign.