UK & World News
- 30 November 2012, 10:33
Rotherham By-Election: Labour Secures Victory
Labour has held onto Rotherham in a parliamentary by-election which saw a surge towards the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and disastrous results for both coalition parties.
The Conservatives finished fifth behind not only UKIP but also the British National Party and Respect, while Tory candidate Simon Wilson only held onto his deposit by a whisker.
Liberal Democrat Michael Beckett came eighth and lost his deposit, trailing behind the English Democrats and an independent.
Labour's Sarah Champion won comfortably with 9,866 votes, a majority of 5,218 (24.46%) over UKIP.
The party's majority in a seat it has held since 1933 was marginally down on the 27.9% it recorded in the 2010 general election.
The Rotherham by-election was one of three staged in Labour-held seats on Thursday.
Labour's Andy McDonald held the seat of Middlesbrough with a large majority of 8,211, while the party also kept the Croydon North constituency.
The Rotherham poll was forced by the resignation of Denis MacShane in the wake of a report condemning him for abusing parliamentary expenses.
Labour described Ms Champion as a "clean break" candidate following the scandal surrounding Mr MacShane, and she becomes the first ever woman MP for the seat.
After the result was announced, Ms Champion urged the Government to "get Rotherham back to work".
"I've never stood for election before but when I see the damage David Cameron is doing to Rotherham I cannot stand and watch," she said.
She said she was not a career politician and will serve "not for what I can get out of it but what I can put into it".
On a turnout of 21,330 (33.63%), UKIP recorded its best ever by-election result with 4,648 votes (21.79%).
Jubilant UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: "Our previous best ever by-election result a fortnight ago was 14.3% and this one is comfortably over 20%. Whichever way you look at it, UKIP is on the rise."
Update:
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what do you think?
Chris Robinson
Labour will only offer more of the same - cuts, making us pay for the greed of the capitalist bankers. But it's somehow good to see the Tories coming FIFTH behind UKIP and the BNP and the LibDems losing their deposit behind the English Democrats and an Independent. Now, do I hear the distant stampede of more Tory MPs calling for a coalition with UKIP? The Tory right wing will call for closer links with its former far right wing. Miliband will begin at some stage to cosy up with the 'moderate' LibDems (those that have some credibility left), hence moving politics generally toward the centre and right of centre. Clearly, we now need a new party of the genuine left, based on the trade unions, to implement policies that will benefit the millions not the millionaires.
Dave Harrison
Chris. The problem is though we all know what will happen come the election with the two main parties taking most of the seats and doing exactly what you predict . It is not something I am looking forward too
Chris Robinson
I agree with Dave (to coin a phrase). Which is why I believe we need a new party to fill the vacuum on the left.
Peter Edwardson
Chris you know socialism doesn't work as you admitted in one of your recent posts. Why do you keep flogging a long dead horse?
Jonathan Goodwin-Self
Vote UKIP not BNP and Independant then we will have a new Government
Windows Live User
Is this a shot across the bows for Labour & Tory? Is it a sign of things to come perhaps? UKIP is going on the up due to the policies of posh boys Cameron, DuncanSmith & Osborne, and the fact that Labour has no one to replace them There are far better leaders in the pubs
David Francis
In what pubs are left! The tax,tax & tax again policies are shutting pubs so fast they will soon be delivering zero tax revenues at all. Nige at UKIP is one who IS determined to reverse this. HE like a pint!
Vladtheinhaler .
Expect the same result in the next general election. Can't wait. Doesn't matter how poor Labours efforts are, the Tories will always be worse.
Dave Harrison
Glad the thought of it makes you happy. It fills me with foreboding. None of them have a clue how to get us out of this mess and come 2015 nothing is going to change. The current lot are awful but this just shows what short memories people have.
David Francis
Perhaps if the current lot at liebour get their social engineers to kidnap a few more kids from 'unsuitable' foster parents, UKIP might get the breakthrough!
Edgar Beckett
Three out of three !! the Bilderburgers triumph again
gengisken1227
If you're interested, ckeck out UKIP's "what we stand for " on their website 1.Restore democracy - 75% of our laws originate in Brussels from non democratic, self appointed officials. It's a big back scratching club. 2. Leave the EU saves us 53 million per DAY plus Prof Tim Congdon calculates EU red tape adds 150 billion p a to UK costs. 3. Fiscal responsibility - government to balance the books 4. Regain control of our borders 5. No cuts to frontline policing 6. Protect tradition British values - such as fair treatment for all throught society 7. Assure prompt and caring health treatment 8. The law of the land must be single and apply to us all. If this is only for fruitcakes - call me Mr Kipling
Michael Hawkins
Ok Mr Kipling
jimmyjedi1979
Next election labour will win. Tories will suffer so badly i doubt they'd still be a party after 2015. By 2019 most Tories would have defected to ukip- and by then we will all be desperately voting to get out of Europe. Then Nigel farage will be pm. Can see it plain as day. The future is ukip- to what are you all waiting for? Vote ukip.
d and d Phillips
Tories and Dithering Lemingcrats well and truly Faraged.......Well done Niggle
Gordon Wright
Still think UKIP are a bunch of loonies Mr Cameron ??? Time you started listening to the people of this country. It's later than you think......................
Grant Berry
They could put a goat in a red jumper & they'd vote for it. No surprises. Liebour have really bad form in Roth but the sheeple still vote em in. Keep feeding your kids pies through the school railings
Dave Harrison
Grant. We could say exactly the same thing about many of the tory held shires. That's what P's me off about politics in the UK. It is all to do with the the party and the area in which they are standing. We elect about 600 of our mp's practically on the nod. How I wish I lived in one of the marginals where changing your vote made a difference
bjnk
Grant, you always resort to insults and badmouthing people and even their children now,insinuating all Labour voters cannot look after their offspring and classing them as animals. Dont you think it childish enough that you still persist with Liebour, Broon, B lier. Your giving genuine conservative voters a bad name.
Dave Harrison
Well done to Ms Campion. She has not been a member of the Labour Party for very long but still managed to be selected from the women only short list of 2. Now she says she is not a career politician and will serve "not for what I can get out of it but what I can put into it". Now where have I heard that before. Ah yes at every constituency declaration since Adam was a boy
Russell6730
With only 2 years or so to the next election its a case of all noses to the trough.
happymike CHESTER
This Ukip is another Tory party and will join up with the Tories after an election to form an extremely right-wing Government that is the danger. Labour Party still parachuting C.I.A approved candidates over constituent party choice ,don`t take our vote for granted Unions and Socialists are a proud legacy of OLD Labour.
David Francis
UKIP in my constituency comprises more lib dems and labour than any other party.
happymike CHESTER
Is that why the Tory candidate nearly lost his deposit DAVID.
Michael Hawkins
Traditionally Lib Dems got the protest vote at by elections Now they are in power, this now has to be cast else where
t.bulgin
The BNP would form an extremely right wing government. To describe the tories and ukip as such is a little over the top. Lets keep things in perspective.
Russell6730
Camerons only got one slim hope come the next election if he wants to avoid a coalition with UKIP or possibly a defeat and that is to start implementing last elections promises as soon as posssible starting with the big one and thats a straight yes/no vote on Europe,then ditch the weird obsession with same sex marriage and recognise the british family by giving the promised tax breaks, then the promised action on immigration and deportation of illegals sorting out corporate tax fiddles and corrupt banking etc.etc.,theres along list but by starting now he just may avoid being picked up by the scruff of the neck by the next electorate and thrown out the nearest exit
john
I can hear the knives being sharpened ready for Dave's back.
t.bulgin
No john, that noise is the grinding of teeth amongst labours supporters, who are doing nothing more than treading water.
john
Ha, ha, ha, hello rattlehead, still playing with your blow up Dave doll. As I have said several times before I despise New Labour just as much as your Con/Lib pin up boys.
Chris Robinson
It's ALWAYS a joy to see the Tories get a hammering AND to see the LibDems in their rightful place. But Labour's victories fill me with inertia...they are, after all, merely pale pink Tories who offer nothing more than more cuts. UKIP are picking up protest votes because they are nothing more than disgruntled rightwing Tories at heart. We need, more than ever, a new party to fill the vacuum on the left. A party that should be based on the trade unions and anti-cuts community groups. What we need is a party that will represent the millions, not the millionaires.
john
Hear, hear, Chris, I see you have been voted down by a couple of millionaires, or maybe they are just brainwashed sheep.
peter
I agree Chris - but your beloved "Trade Union and Socialist against Cuts Party" that you so adore got just 281 votes, still less than the Liberals. Your Party has a long, long way still to go.
Michael Hawkins
Chris 281 votes Just another 5,500,000 needed then to form a government or 70,750 in rotherham who do not support your party Whose is your leader - wolfie smith
brandon cliff
yes sarah champion, you are what the people need! that quote is what blow them away seeming she talk like a true politician--- this is the word's ( not for what i can get out of it
Peter Edwardson
It proves the old saying in northern industrial towns "If you put a monkey in Labour shirt" it would get elected. I can even remember when if you put a conservative poster in your window in such a town there would quickly be a mob throwing stones through your window. As long as this blind following of labour the quality of life in these areas will always be low.
t.bulgin
They remind me of the islamasists in Egypt who are demonstating in favour of their prime minister who has just given himself a load of powers. A mindless, blind following, lemming or sheep like.
Louisa Gieldon
Why are you two so principled and correct in your allegience to a political party, yet others are stupid and sheeplike in theirs. People in the North are neither stupid nor sheeplike for voting labour. They see labour as the party who cares most about them and will work in their best interests. whether you agree or not. Those on the left do not have the monopoly on the kind of behaviour you describe. There are many Conservative voters who also will vote without putting much thought into the process, because they and their families and friends have always done do. Be fair please
Peter Edwardson
Louisa. You really should stop making assumptions about people you know nothing about. I notice you do this all the time in your posts. I have a lot of experience of the inside workings of the political parties in both Northern towns and Southern shires. There is really not a lot of difference between them, the level of corruption is pretty much the same in both. From experience the electorate in the south will change political allegiance much more than in the northern ex industrial towns. I personally look at the candidates not the party and check them out thoroughly before they get my vote.
john
They are simple minded zealots Louisa, with a trainspotterish mindset, their party pin up boys can do no wrong.
Louisa Gieldon
Hello Peter, i didn't make assumptions about you and tb. Neither did i say that either of you voted without thinking about why you were voting. Just pointed out that "sheeplike" voting happens regardless of the political parties. There are plenty of blind followers, quite enough to go round all the parties. As for previous posts, I do try not to make assumptions and i stand by my opinions, even if you don't like them, I was only trying to point out the one sidedness of your remarks.
Louisa Gieldon
Peter, i've just look back at a few pages of your previous posts. You are very very opinonated ( i would stress that i do not use that word as an insult and that unopinionated people annoy me much more than those with strong views). You stated that i make assumptions, but don't we all, Peter? You certainly do. One of those assumptions is that people in Northern towns blindly follow Labour- the last line of your first comment above clearly shows that you assume they vote without thought or research. . As for people in working class areas voting for the Labour party - what alternative is there? Do you honestly expect them to vote for the Conservatives?
john
"Northern Industrial Towns" Peter? Not much industry left up North after Thatcher and her chums shut the shipyards, steelworks, coalmines etc, etc, and you expect the victims to vote Conservative? The Tories did more damage to British industry than the luftwaffe.
t.bulgin
Thatcher didn't destroy industry up north. Northerners destroyed it with their slavish following of communist inspired unions and their destructive practises. You can carry on using Thatcher as a decoy if you want. I can understand how admitting the truth must be too much for you to bear.
Peter Edwardson
Sorry John your totally wrong. It was weak management and power mad unions.
john
Rattlehead and Peter, absolute tosh, blame the victims is your childish chant.
John Dodsworth
2:07am on 30/11/2012
Out with blues in the reds
jimmyjedi1979
8:52am on 30/11/2012
And yellow. Ukip is the only answer.