Category Archives: Parliamentary by-elections

George Selmer selected for Lib Dems in Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough Liberal Democrats have selected a local jobs expert as their candidate for the upcoming Parliamentary by-election in the constituency.

George Selmer, who grew up and went to school in Middlesbrough, has outlined his plan for the town – focusing on jobs, housing and safeguarding local facilities under threat from Labour cuts.

Commenting on his selection, George said:

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Marisha Ray selected for Lib Dems in Croydon North

The Liberal Democrats have tonight selected Marisha Ray as Parliamentary Candidate for the Croydon North by-election, caused by the death of Malcolm Wicks MP.

Marisha, a married mother of one, is a former IT professional. She spent much of her childhood with close family friends in Croydon. Marisha served as a councillor in Islington between 2002 and 2010, and was an executive member with special responsibility for tackling crime (2006-08), implementing a groundbreaking gang prevention strategy.

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Jenny Willott MP writes…Get behind Bablin Molik, Cardiff South and Penarth by-election candidate

In the aftermath of the Cabinet re-shuffle, a lot has been made of the shortage of female representatives within government. This is a particularly painful allegation for us as Liberal Democrats.

It is of course good news that some of the great women in our party have been promoted:  Jo Swinson MP is now Minister for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs, Baroness Jenny Randerson is taking up a role in the Wales Office, Lynne Featherstone MP has moved to the Department for International Development and Lorely Burt has become Parliamentary Private Secretary to Danny Alexander MP.

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Lords reform, Boris Johnson and Louise Mensch: Guardian podcast

This week’s Politics Weekly podcast from The Guardian features, ahem, myself alongside Martin Kettle, Nick Cohen and Tom Clark. Lords reform, Boris Johnson’s political future and the Corby by-election (so far, dreadfully lacking in jokes about trouser presses) all feature.

Nick Cohen made a particularly good provocative point about Boris Johnson – saying he’s the only Conservative in the UK to have won a major election since John Major won the 1992 general election. It makes the Tory right’s view of him rather contradictory: they really dislike some of his policy preferences (such as on immigration) yet also love him as …

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Opinion: Can Corby smelt a new Coalition?

Louise Mensch’s resignation on 6 August has triggered a by-election in Corby on 15 November. Initially treated as a silly-season oddity, the likely Labour victory exposes the Coalition’s fragility post Cameron’s dropping of Lords Reform.

A tight Tory-Labour marginal, Corby has been a reliable bell-weather constituency since its creation in 1983. Retaken for the Conservatives by A-lister Louise Mensch in 2010, it has a Conservative majority of 1,951 on a swing of 3.6% – less than the 5.6% swing from Labour to Conservative across England as a whole. Given current national opinion polls, and the fact that the seat will be …

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Welsh Lib Dems select Dr Bablin Molik to fight the Cardiff South & Penarth by-election

Dr Bablin Molik  selected for Cardiff South and Penarth

Cardiff South and Penarth Liberal Democrats have selected Dr Bablin Molik as their candidate for the Cardiff South and Penarth by-election at a hustings with local party members.

Dr Bablin Molik, a researcher and mother of two, plays an active part in the community. She has helped set up a Saturday school in the area and she had worked with organisations helping women gain confidence and skills to be able to take an active role at every level in their communities.

Bablin …

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Opinion: Gorgeous George steals our place on the Left

Well done George Galloway for last week’s Bradford West by-election victory. He was astutely aware of the state of a vacuous Labour party lacking leadership and direction, and took full advantage of it.

Now, no-one can say that a Left-wing party is doomed to automatic failure. And it is little use Lib Dems complaining: “That’s our job.”

It is our job, but we have failed completely. A strong left-wing challenge from us, the true party of the non-socialist Left could have produced a …

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Bradford West by-election: 5 initial thoughts on an astonishing result

Here are some inital reflections on George Galloway’s stunning by-election win in Bradford West…

Devastating for Labour…

It is not simply the fact that Labour lost a seat they’ve held at every election since 1974. It is not simply the fact that they’ve become the first opposition party since William Hague’s Tories at Romsey 12 years ago to lose a by-election. It is not simply the fact that Labour must have thought they’d enjoyed a good fortnight in which the Tories have been given a good pasting. It is not simply the fact that this by-election suggests Labour’s current national lead …

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Jeanette Sunderland selected to fight Bradford West for the Liberal Democrats

David Ward, Jeanette Sunderland and police
Photo: David Ward MP, Jeanette Sunderland and police – Flickr.

Bradford Liberal Democrats have selected Jeanette Sunderland to be their candidate in the Bradford West by-election on 29 March.

The writ was moved yesterday for the by-election after Marsha Singh resigned, for health reasons.

Born and bred in Bradford, Jeanette has been a local councillor for 18 years. In that time she has built up a reputation for being a strong voice for Bradford, and is currently leader …

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Liberal Youth : Reporting Back From Feltham

In recent years the festive season seems more likely to bring a byelection than it does a white Christmas. With Christmas shopping, horrible weather, and the prospect of a few short days where politics stands still, Liberal Democrat activists could be forgiven for not prioritising a byelection in the safe Labour seat of Feltham and Heston.

With the writ moved for before Christmas, and the Eurozone crisis boosting UKIP’s support, the local party and campaign team, led by Dan Purchese, had a fight on their hands. In an election where we needed to at least retain our deposit, we needed …

4 Comments

Election results thread

Most eyes will be on the Feltham & Heston Parliamentary by-election, but there are also a handful of council by-elections being held including a double-header in near-by Kingston, where the Liberal Democrats are trying to take two seats off the Conservatives.

We will update the site in due course with the results and party reaction, but for the time being here is a discussion thread…

UPDATE:

Sky News reports turnout in Feltham & Heston at 31%. Very low, but also in typical Sky ‘never wrong for long’ style, wrong. Turnout turns out to be even lower: 28.8%. It was 59.9% at the general …

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“There is absolutely no chance of us winning there” – Conservative MP’s Feltham & Heston outburst

I headed over this morning to help Roger Crouch’s Parliamentary by-election campaign in Feltham & Heston, all of which went fairly smoothly (at least once I remembered to open my eyes) and it was good to see high quality literature that tied in well with other campaign activity, such as the local newspaper adverts for Roger Crouch.

It was also good to see an idea I helped pioneer at previous Parliamentary by-elections extended at this one – putting a feedback sheet on the back …

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Feltham and Heston by-election – come and help Lib Dems’ Roger Crouch make an impact today!

At this time of year, Christmas lights start to be switched on in towns and cities across the country — but for a lot of Liberal Democrat activists Christmas celebrations won’t be starting so early! Many of my friends and colleagues are postponing Christmas shopping to join Roger Crouch’s campaign for Feltham and Heston.

In just over two weeks’ time the voters of Feltham and Heston will have a new MP. The last parliamentary by-election of 2011 takes place on 15th December and the only early Christmas present I’m asking for …

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Labour holds Inverclyde with reduced majority

From the BBC:

Labour has won the Inverclyde by-election for the UK parliament but its majority has been more than halved.

Iain McKenzie took the Westminster seat with 15,118 votes over the SNP’s Anne McLaughlin on 9,280. Labour’s majority fell from 14,416 at the 2010 general election to 5,838.

The Conservatives took third place with 2,784, the Liberal Democrats polled 627 votes and UKIP was fifth with 288.

The by-election was held after the death of David Cairns in May, aged 44.

Read the full story here.

In local council by-election news:

Wandsworth LBC, Thamesfield:
Con 1497;
Lab 1022;
LD Lisa Smart 545;
Green 202.
Con HOLD.
Turnout 28.1%

Broxbourne BC, …

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Liberal Youth Scotland’s Sophie Bridger to fight Inverclyde for the Liberal Democrats


Liberal Youth Scotland President Sophie Bridger has been selected as the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate to fight the Inverclyde by-election, caused by the sad death of Labour MP David Cairns last month. The by-election takes place on 30th June.

Sophie, who’s 20, is studying Psychology at Glasgow University. Sophie has campaigned with Liberal Youth Scotland on issues such as equal marriage, a fair deal for students and increased powers for the Scottish parliament.

Sophie was a key member of Katy Gordon’s campaign team in Glasgow North last year and stood herself in Glasgow …

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Inverclyde Parliamentary by-election set for June 30th

The BBC reports:

The Inverclyde Westminster by-election is expected to take place on 30 June, after Labour moved the writ in the Commons allowing it to take place.

It follows the death last month of sitting Labour MP David Cairns, from pancreatitis, at the age of 44.

Labour has a majority of 14,416 in Inverclyde, but holds the Scottish Parliament seat of Greenock and Inverclyde by 511 votes.

The party previously said a 30 June date was “unlikely”.

Labour had said last week it was keen to avoid having a by-election during the school holidays and indicated its preference for a “long lead-in time”,

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Victory in Bedford and second place in Leicester South

In amongst all the bad results, it’s understandable that news from two of the best candidates I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years has been mostly overlooked. But it’s worth highlighting that Dave Hodgson won re-election as Mayor in Bedford, whilst Zuffar Haq held on to second place in Leicester South.

Congratulations to them both and to their teams.

Here are the result details:

Leicester South
Jonathan Ashworth (Lab)  19,771 (57.8%, +12.2)
Zuffar Haq (LibDem) 7,693 (22.5%, -4.4)
Jane Hunt (Con) 5,169 (15.1%, -6.3)
Abhijit Pandya (UKIP) 994 (2.9%, +1.4)
Howling Laud Hope (Monster Raving Loony) 553 (1.6%, n/a)

Bedford Mayor:

Dave Hodgson (LibDem) 19,966 (37.7%, +10.9 on …

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Opinion: The road to Leicester and multicultural Britain

I was one of about 20 on the Team London coach to Leicester last Saturday to help our candidate, Zuffar Haq

The lucky people of Leicester South will have 4 ballot papers to fill on May 5th: to vote for their ward Councillors, elect their Mayor, their MP as well as vote in the referendum on Fairer Votes.

We were briefed to keep our canvassing strictly to the by-election. Fortunately our man, Zuffar was easy to sell at the door step. He is the only candidate of the 3 major parties who is local, born and educated in Leicester.

Moreover …

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Barnsley Central result: Labour win, Lib Dems sixth

Dan Jarvis (Lab) 14,724
Jane Collins (UKIP) 2,953
James Hockney (C) 1,999
Enis Dalton (BNP) 1,463
Tony Devoy (Ind) 1,266
Dominic Carman (LD) 1,012
Kevin Riddiough (Eng Dem) 544
Howling Laud Hope (Loony) 198
Michael Val Davies (Ind) 60

Turnout 36.5%

Party president Tim Farron said: “It was a poor result for us. It was a poor result for the Tories. The coalition parties didn’t do very well here. Surprise, surprise.”

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Dominic Carman – fighting for jobs for Barnsley

What has pleasantly surprised me in Barnsley is the number of voters who are genuinely open-minded about who they will support. They know that Barnsley needs new jobs and new investment. Barnsley needs an ambitious ambassador, someone who can sell what the town and its people have to offer: a low cost base, a skilled work force, and an excellent geographic location.

I have more than 10 years’ experience of managing international businesses and raising finance for new business ideas from banks in London and New York, creating jobs and investment. As Barnsley’s new MP, I will fight hard to …

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Dominic Carman writes: Barnsley Central – a call to action

Six weeks ago, my son Charlie and I travelled up from London with Simon Hughes – to leaflet on behalf of Elwyn Watkins in the Oldham by-election. The campaign was fantastic: dozens of Lib Dems in a well-equipped campaign office and many more leafleting and campaigning on the streets. It produced an excellent result in difficult circumstances: Elwyn even increased his share of the vote to 31.9%.

On Saturday, I was selected as the PPC for the forthcoming Barnsley Central by-election, to be held on March 3rd. At the 2010 general election, the Lib Dems came second to Labour in …

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Dominic Carman selected as Liberal Democrat candidate for Barnsley Central by-election

Barnsley Liberal Democrats today selected Dominic Carman as their candidate for the March 3 Barnsley Central Parliamentary by-election, at a hustings in the constituency.

Carman, son of the late George Carman QC, and biographer of BNP leader Nick Griffin, previously stood for the Lib Dems in Barking, East London at the 2010 General Election.

The by-election was caused by the resignation of the constituency’s MP, Eric Illsley, who has now been jailed for 12 months for fraudulently claiming more than £14,000 in Parliamentary expenses.

Commenting, Dominic …

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Action day in Barnsley this weekend

The Barnsley Central by-election has been called for March 3rd. That’s just over three weeks away. As always, the earlier we help, the more help it will be.

So this coming Saturday, a few LibDemVoice readers will be going over to an Action Day, organised by the local activists.

The Action day is on Saturday 12th Feb 2011, from 10.30 am onwards, at Darton Parish Rooms, Church St, Darton, Barnsley, S75 5HQ. Teas/coffees will be provided.

As well as a chance to help the local campaign, it’ll be a chance to get to meet. I don’t know about you, but …

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Chris Wiggin not seeking Lib Dem nomination for Barnsley Central by-election

Liberal Democrat campaigner Chris Wiggin has announced that he will not seek the party’s nomination for the forthcoming parliamentary by-election in Barnsley Central, to be triggered shortly by the announced resignation of the sitting MP Eric Illsley.

Chris, who stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Barnsley Central in the May 2010 General Election and came second with 6,394 votes, indicated that he will concentrate his efforts on standing in Heslington ward in this year’s City of York Council elections.

Chris said:

It was an honour standing for Parliament last year in Barnsley Central for the first time. I was

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Opinion:We’re in government – get used to it

Consulting my calendar recently, I was astonished to see that I visited the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election for the first time on 17th and 18th November. A long time ago. I don’t mention this to boast (oh, all right I do!) but to highlight that the Liberal Democrat campaign started in earnest very early. I remember wistfully that “GUILTY” tabloid – that word in red dominating the front page in size 94 font (I think). A classic of understatement.

My return for a couple of days at the beginning of last week confirmed that our campaign was as good as …

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After Oldham: what does the result mean for the party’s targeting strategy?

After all the anticipation and build-up, yesterday’s Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election was a bit of a damp squib.

Labour retained the seat with a decent and improved majority, as would be expected of the only major opposition party. The Lib Dems held our own, Elwyn Watkins nudging up the share of the vote he received in May 2010, but not surprisingly proving unable to break the 30-year run of governing parties not gaining at by-elections. And the Conservative vote collapsed after a half-hearted campaign, provoking a few squeals from activists and a shrug of indifference from their party leader.

Looking …

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Tim Farron writes… Oldham proves rumours of the Lib Dems’ death have been greatly exaggerated

Last night, at 3am, I got to do the job of telling everyone how well we did in Oldham despite the fact that we lost… I’m aware that there are few things more clichéd than a politician who loses an election and makes this statement, but in our case it’s actually true. This result provides a good stepping stone towards the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament and English council elections.

In Elwyn Watkins we had first class candidate and I am hugely impressed by the way he has handled this by-election and everything that lead up to it. By taking on Phil Woolas and challenging his dirty campaign, Elwyn made a significant leap in the fight towards cleaning up politics for good and for that we should all be grateful.

The election in Oldham East & Saddleworth has been the perfect opportunity for us as a party to come together after what has been, let’s be honest, a very difficult few months. Vast numbers of volunteers descended on Oldham to lend a hand from across the country and many more who could not make it to Oldham, got involved in other ways from telephone canvassing to addressing envelopes!

It was great to see Nick out rallying the troops and walking up and down the icy lanes to speak to voters and deliver leaflets, as well as many of our fantastic team of ministers joining the ranks, such as Scottish Secretary Michael Moore – who got stuck in to the polling day knock-up yesterday getting our voters out to the polling stations! Never before has a by-election been more cathartic and unifying for our party.

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“By-election was a hard-fought contest” – Clegg

From a party news release:

Commenting on the by-election result in Oldham East and Saddleworth, Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg, said:

This was a very hard-fought contest but we were not able to gain this Labour seat on this occasion. I’d like to pay tribute to our superb candidate, Elwyn Watkins, and his team up in Oldham who have run an exceptional campaign.

I am proud of each and every one of the hundreds of activists and volunteers who have brought the fight to Labour’s front door in a way that will have confounded our critics.

It was always going

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Oldham East and Saddleworth results thread

Comment away… and whilst we await the result there is new of a likely third Parliamentary by-election in 2011 in addition to the one expected in Barnsley Central. This one is Leicester South.

2am update –

The result of the Oldham East and Saddleworth Parliamentary by-election:

Labour 14,718
LD Elwyn Watkins 11,160
Conservatives 4,481
UKIP 2,029
BNP 1,560
Green 530
Monster Raving Loony 145
English Democrats 144
Bus Pass Elvis 67
Pirate 96

48.06% turnout

Labour HOLD.

Debbie Abrahams is the new MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth.

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Eric Illsley to resign as MP before being sentenced

From the BBC:

Eric Illsley is quitting as an MP after pleading guilty on Tuesday to dishonestly claiming parliamentary expenses.

The MP for Barnsley Central had come under pressure to step down after admitting £14,000 of expenses fraud.

Labour leader Ed Miliband was among those to urge Illsley, who has yet to be sentenced, to quit.

Illsley has apologised to his constituents, saying he “deeply regretted” his actions.

Illsley’s office issued this statement from him:

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