Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party has flopped in its first attempt to win council seats, and may have helped hand power to the Remain-backing Liberal Democrats.

The hardline Brexiteers stood in by-elections for two wards in Leave-backing Gloucester and trailed in third and fourth places. The party had more votes in one ward than the margin between the victorious Lib Dems and Boris Johnson’s Tory party, which came in second.

But a spokesperson for Mr Farage’s party defiantly dismissed accusations of splitting the Brexit vote, telling The Independent: “If the Tories are moaning that we’re taking their voters then tough.

“In the Peterborough by-election, it was the other way around – if they had stood aside for us we’d have a solid Brexit-backing MP in place there now.”

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The spokesperson poured cold water on any suggestion Mr Farage’s party might give a clear run to Tories now they are led by a prime minister promising to take the UK out of the EU deal or no deal in three months’ time. “I wish him well and hope he delivers on his promises, but can we really believe him?” he said.

The Lib Dems took the Podsmead ward on Gloucester City Council by a wafer-thin three votes, with 203 to the Tories’ 200. The Brexit Party candidate, in fourth place behind Labour, garnered 111 – more than enough to deny the Conservatives victory.

In the council’s Barnwood ward, the Lib Dems won by 676 votes to the Tories’ 496, with the Brexit Party third on 152. It was the first time Mr Farage’s party has fought council by-elections, and represents a significant slump from the 31.6 per cent it scooped in finishing first in May’s European elections.

But the party’s spokesperson said that even in a city like Gloucester, which voted 58.5 per cent Leave in the 2016 referendum, it was hampered by the lack of an established network of local activists who could conduct a “ground war”.

Formed in January this year, the party failed to take a Commons seat in the Peterborough by-election won by Labour on 6 June but came second with 28.9 per cent of the vote.

Lib Dem MP Tim Farron said: “These are top notch by-election results that are testament to the hard work and commitment of our campaigners. Building on historic local and European elections, Liberal Democrats are continuing to prove that we are a rallying point for the Remain voice in British politics.