Lib Dems storm to victory in Labour stronghold
February 12, 2006 5:45 PM
Lib Dems welcome their 63rd MP, Willie Rennie, to the House of Commons
Lambeth Liberal Democrats are celebrating after the Lib Dems gained Dunfermline and West Fife from Labour in a bombshell by-election result in Chancellor Gordon Brown's backyard.
There was a massive swing of 16% from the Labour Party to the Liberal Democrats (and 9% from Conservative to Lib Dem), just nine months after the General Election. The Liberal Democrats turned a Labour majority of 11,562 into a Lib Dem majority of 1,800. This victory was the first ever Liberal Democrat gain from the Labour party in a Scottish by-election.
The full result was:
· Willie Rennie (Liberal Democrat) - 12,391 (35.8%)
· Catherine Stihler (Labour) - 10,591 (30.6%)
· Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party) - 7,261 (21.0%)
· Carrie Ruxton (Conservative) - 2,702 (7.8%)
· John McAllion (Scottish Socialist Party) - 537
· James Hargreaves (Scottish Christian Party) - 411
· Thomas Minogue (Abolish Forth Bridge Tolls Party) - 374
· Ian Borland (UK Independence Party) - 208
· Dick Rodgers (Common Good) - 103
· Turnout - 59.9%
The result has stunned Labour and saw David Cameron's Conservative Party finish fourth in his first major electoral test since becoming Conservative leader. The result was the worst Conservative Parliamentary by-election result for eight years.
Willie Rennie, the Liberal Democrat victor said:
"I would like to thank the people of Dunfermline and West Fife for the trust that they have shown in me personally - and in the Liberal Democrats. Tonight they have sent a powerful message to the Labour Government. It is time that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown both got that message."
Willie added:
"There are messages tonight for all the major parties. The Liberal Democrat message that we want a fairer, greener and more democratic society - is one that wins widespread appeal.
"Labour has lost the confidence of people who supported them for generations. People want a change - but they do not want to go back to the Conservatives. This by-election has shown that the Conservatives are irrelevant in much of Britain. This is a terrible result for David Cameron - the Conservatives continue to decline."
Parliamentary campaigner Charles Anglin said: "This just proves what we have seen in Lambeth - people are turning away from Labour in their droves towards the Liberal Democrats".
"Crushing defeat for Labour as Lib Dems take Dunfermline seat" - Financial Times
"Stunning Lib Dem victory in Brown's backyard" - The Telegraph
"Lib Dems stun Labour in byelection triumph" - The Guardian
"The Liberal Democrats have delivered a hammer blow to Labour" - BBC
"Lib Dems pull off stunning victory in Brown's backyard" - The Times
"The party's astonishing win ... is surely the most famous victory of them all" - The Guardian
"The poor Tory showing is an embarrassment for David Cameron" - The Times
"The Liberal Democrats have pulled off a sensational by-election victory" - ITN
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