Well Done Nige!

[Gittins Gal]

UKIP push Tories into 3rd place with 18%of vote in Wythenshawe by-election.

Not a bad result for them at all considering that this is a very safe labour seat and the by-election wasn't the result of some scandal involving the sitting MP which would result in a large protest vote against the incumbent party.

Actually, I'd forgotten all about it until I found it buried away in a corner of the Telegraph this morning. They're not giving the story much prominence. Wonder why ?

[VectraMan]

BBC News - Wythenshawe and Sale East by-election: Labour wins

Mike Kane (Labour): 13,261
John Bickley (UKIP): 4,301
Reverend Daniel Critchlow (Conservatives): 3,479
Mary Di Mauro (Lib Dem): 1,176
Nigel Woodcock (Green Party): 748
Eddy O'Sullivan (BNP): 700
Captain Chaplington-Smythe (Monster Raving Loony): 200
Turnout: 28%

People always vote against the party in power in bi-elections, and this time there's two of them. Which makes this the best oppurtunity the likes of UKIP will ever have to get an MP - and they failed, by a huge margin. Not quite sure that counts as a success.

[BoredBloke]

UKIP push Tories into 3rd place with 18%of vote in Wythenshawe by-election.

Not a bad result for them at all considering that this is a very safe labour seat and the by-election wasn't the result of some scandal involving the sitting MP which would result in a large protest vote against the incumbent party.

Actually, I'd forgotten all about it until I found it buried away in a corner of the Telegraph this morning. not giving the story much prominence.

I'm suprised that the Tories even got 18% in Wythenshaw. Its a tulip hole and a typical Labour safe seat - everybody being poor and living on the state. Turkeys don't vote for Christmas in the same way that this lot would never vote Tory. The fact that Wythenshaw has always been a toilet and their historical Labour vote has not changed this seems lost on them.

[Mich the Tester]

BBC News - Wythenshawe and Sale East by-election: Labour wins



People always vote against the party in power in bi-elections, and this time there's two of them. Which makes this the best oppurtunity the likes of UKIP will ever have to get an MP - and they failed, by a huge margin. Not quite sure that counts as a success.

WHS

[Gittins Gal]

BBC News - Wythenshawe and Sale East by-election: Labour wins



People always vote against the party in power in bi-elections, and this time there's two of them. Which makes this the best oppurtunity the likes of UKIP will ever have to get an MP - and they failed, by a huge margin. Not quite sure that counts as a success.

Yes, but this is such a safe labour seat that nobody was voting for the party in power anyway.

UKIP increased their vote by 14%.

It's a kick in the teeth for Camoron anyhow...

[MicrosoftBob]

The only thing that could dent his popularity now was if he was found out to be a closet Scot

[Mich the Tester]

Yes, but this is such a safe labour seat that nobody was voting for the party in power anyway.

UKIP increased their vote by 14%.

It's a kick in the teeth for Camoron anyhow...

It's a by-election, not an election. A chance to kick the government up the bum without any consequences.

[cojak]

Nige is on Women's World (R4), being quizzed by Jenny atm.

[Gittins Gal]

It's a by-election, not an election. A chance to kick the government up the bum without any consequences.

Well a 14% swing to UKIP (and it's safe to assume that a significant proportion of this came from the labour vote) is significant IMO. I mean, UKIP - the party of right wing, frothing at the mouth Tories

[Mich the Tester]

Well a 14% swing to UKIP (and it's safe to assume that a significant proportion of this came from the labour vote) is significant IMO. I mean, UKIP - the party of right wing, frothing at the mouth Tories

It's insignificant in a by-election; there are always major swings against the government of the day in by-elections, because many people can't be arsed to turn up, and others just use it to vent their frustration with any real risk of putting the people they hate in power. Plus, 14% of not very much is not very much.