The Conservatives only just retained their seventeenth safest seat in the country with a tiny 633 majority, despite a huge swing to the Liberal Democrats from both the Conservatives and Labour. A swing repeated in Bedford would see the Liberal Democrats gain the Parliamentary seat at the next General Election.
The Conservatives only just retained their seventeenth safest seat in the country with a tiny 633 majority, despite a huge swing to the Liberal Democrats. The decrease in the Conservative vote is the worst by-election result for the Conservative party in a Tory held seat since Wirral South in February 1997 - the last days of the John Major premiership. Labour was beaten into fourth place.
Political Sensation: Lib Dem Ben Abbotts within 633 votes of the Tories in Bromley and Chislehurst
Dundee Liberal Democrat Convener Raymond Lawrie said this morning (Friday 30th June) that the outcome of the Bromley and Chislehurst by-election was an "amazing result" for the Liberal Democrats.
The result of the Hythe Sports Centre Referendum Poll was a huge victory for those who want to see a new sports centre for Hythe. The full result was:
The RA candidate, Michael Guest, who resigned last year as a councillor in Woodcote ward, has been returned to the council for Ruxley ward, but only by a small margin and after a recount. The turn-out was low at less than 20%. Unlike the 2003 election, when the closest challenger was Labour, this time it was the Tories - who nearly took the seat.