SPOILED ballot figures should send a message to parliamentarians to “get on with Brexit”, a Swindon MP has said.

The number of people who spoiled their ballot in Thursday’s poll soared compared to the previous year, with politicians suggesting the reason could be public dissatisfaction over Brexit.

Compared to the 2018 election, the number of ballot papers rejected for one reason or the other this year was up five fold.

On Thursday, there were 825 spoiled ballots compared to 161 in May 2018.

The figures were highest in the two wards, Lydiard and Freshbrook and Priory Vale, where it was a straight fight between the Conservative and Labour parties.

In the aftermath of the poll, the feeling among Swindon politicians was that Brexit may have been to blame.

Robert Buckland, MP for South Swindon, said: “My view is that it’s part of the process. It’s a way of electors making their protest known. It’s a reflection of the frustration shown by the choice available. One has to acknowledge it and remember we are living through some very strange times. Parliament has got to do its duty and listen.”

Asked what MPs should take from the high number of spoiled ballots, Mr Buckland said the lesson was “do something – get on with it”.

He added: “The whole of parliament is implicated in this. Not just government. The opposition doesn’t get off scot-free either.”

Swindon Borough Council leader David Renard, re-elected as a Haydon Wick ward councillor, acknowledged the sense of dissatisfaction with the main parties.

He told Sky News: “In my own ward I’ve seen quite a lot of spoiled ballot papers. Generally, there are a lot of people discontent with what’s going on nationally in politics in this country.”

One Twitter user, whose name on the social media network is PiersMorganAteMyHamster, claimed to have spoiled his ballot because he “only had the choice of Labour or Conservative”. Addressing a post to Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, he said: “Remain parties couldn’t be [bothered] to show up. Missed an open goal. Disgraceful!”

Ballot spoiling is not illegal, but filling it out incorrectly or covering it with graffiti will render it invalid.

Under Electoral Commission rules, a ballot must be clearly spoiled for it to be discounted. Just crossing out a candidate's name could mean the vote is counted in their favour.

Yesterday, the prime minister was confronted with anger from her own party after local election results which she admitted were "very difficult" for the Conservatives.

Mrs May told the Welsh Conservatives in Llangollen: "I think there was a simple message from yesterday's elections to both us and the Labour Party - 'Just get on and deliver Brexit'." A heckler called on her to resign, saying “We don’t want you.”

Labour’s shadow chancellor John McDonnell tweeted: "So far, message from local elections - 'Brexit - sort it'. Message received."

Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis blamed their electoral difficulties on a failure to resolve Brexit.

He said: "It's a stark reminder to everybody in the House of Commons that we need to get past that impasse, deliver on what people voted for, and focus on that as parliamentarians as well."