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| Cameron hails 'end of New Labour' | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Conservative leader David Cameron says his party's first by-election win since 1982 marks "the end of New Labour". | |
| Mr Cameron told cheering supporters in Crewe and Nantwich that Labour had run a negative, xenophobic and class war campaign that "completely backfired". | |
| He said overturning Labour's 7,000 majority "can be the start of something different and something bigger". | |
| Labour leader Gordon Brown said the result showed his task was to tackle people's concerns about rising prices. | |
| Asked if he thought he would lead Labour into the next election, Mr Brown said voters had shown they wanted him to steer the UK through "difficult economic times". | |
| But that view was questioned by Labour MP Graham Stringer, who called for a senior cabinet minister to launch a leadership challenge to save Labour from electoral "disaster". | |
| Tory candidate Edward Timpson won 7,860 more votes than his Labour rival - a 17.6% swing from the 2005 General Election. | |
| 'Encouraging' | 'Encouraging' |
| Speaking outside his home on Friday, Mr Cameron said: "The Conservatives won a remarkable victory last night in Crewe and Nantwich and I want to congratulate Edward Timpson and everyone who took part in his campaign. | Speaking outside his home on Friday, Mr Cameron said: "The Conservatives won a remarkable victory last night in Crewe and Nantwich and I want to congratulate Edward Timpson and everyone who took part in his campaign. |
| "But I know that winning a by-election and winning a general election are two different things and we've still got a huge amount of work to do." | "But I know that winning a by-election and winning a general election are two different things and we've still got a huge amount of work to do." |
| RESULT AT-A-GLANCE Edward TimpsonConservative: 20,539 Tasmin DunwoodyLabour: 12,679Elizabeth ShentonLib Dems: 6,040 Analysis: How will Brown react? | |
| He added that it was "encouraging" that "thousands of people who have never voted Conservative before have come across and put their trust in the Conservative Party". | He added that it was "encouraging" that "thousands of people who have never voted Conservative before have come across and put their trust in the Conservative Party". |
| He said he aimed to show them that the party would not let them down. | He said he aimed to show them that the party would not let them down. |
| "I want to build over the coming months, over the coming years, the biggest coalition for change in our country so we really can remove this government and give Britain a better chance." | "I want to build over the coming months, over the coming years, the biggest coalition for change in our country so we really can remove this government and give Britain a better chance." |
| The contest followed the death of veteran Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody, who had represented Crewe and Nantwich since the seat was created in 1983. | The contest followed the death of veteran Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody, who had represented Crewe and Nantwich since the seat was created in 1983. |
| The area's new MP, Mr Timpson, said voters had "rejected the old politics and voted for the positive alternative put forward by the Conservative Party". | The area's new MP, Mr Timpson, said voters had "rejected the old politics and voted for the positive alternative put forward by the Conservative Party". |
| He said the government had paid the price for the decision to scrap the 10p rate of income tax, adding: "Gordon Brown just does not get it and the government needs to change." | He said the government had paid the price for the decision to scrap the 10p rate of income tax, adding: "Gordon Brown just does not get it and the government needs to change." |
| It was a bad result for Labour last night. Harriet HarmanLabour's deputy leader Nick Robinson's blogIn quotes: Crewe result | It was a bad result for Labour last night. Harriet HarmanLabour's deputy leader Nick Robinson's blogIn quotes: Crewe result |
| The by-election comes weeks after Labour's poorest local election results in 40 years. | The by-election comes weeks after Labour's poorest local election results in 40 years. |
| Mr Timpson, a 34-year-old barrister, took 20,539 votes. The Labour candidate, Mrs Dunwoody's daughter Tamsin Dunwoody, was second on 12,679, with Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Shenton third on 6,040. | Mr Timpson, a 34-year-old barrister, took 20,539 votes. The Labour candidate, Mrs Dunwoody's daughter Tamsin Dunwoody, was second on 12,679, with Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Shenton third on 6,040. |
| Turnout was 58.2%, high for a by-election, but was down slightly from 60% at the 2005 general election. | Turnout was 58.2%, high for a by-election, but was down slightly from 60% at the 2005 general election. |
| Bad to worse | Bad to worse |
| Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman told the BBC: "It was a bad result for Labour last night. | |
| "But I think we have to understand what lies behind it and what lies behind it is people's sense of their own prospects and the fact people are feeling the pinch." | |
| Edward Timpson's victory speech | Edward Timpson's victory speech |
| She said the result had not been "a judgement from voters about our campaign". | |
| Ms Harman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she knew there were "discordant voices" among some Labour MPs - but added: "The overwhelming majority of people in the Labour Party - and I speak to constituency chairs up and down the country ... they are fully behind Gordon Brown." | Ms Harman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she knew there were "discordant voices" among some Labour MPs - but added: "The overwhelming majority of people in the Labour Party - and I speak to constituency chairs up and down the country ... they are fully behind Gordon Brown." |
| The campaign has taken place during a difficult few weeks for the prime minister, who has followed a poor set of local election results with the row over the abolition of the 10p tax rate. | The campaign has taken place during a difficult few weeks for the prime minister, who has followed a poor set of local election results with the row over the abolition of the 10p tax rate. |
| 'Robust' campaign | 'Robust' campaign |
| Mr Cameron is expected to capitalise on the victory by calling an early by-election in Henley, the Westminster seat due to be vacated by new London Mayor Boris Johnson. | Mr Cameron is expected to capitalise on the victory by calling an early by-election in Henley, the Westminster seat due to be vacated by new London Mayor Boris Johnson. |
| The Tories hope to build on their momentum, with 26 June or 3 July being talked of as the likely dates for a contest. | The Tories hope to build on their momentum, with 26 June or 3 July being talked of as the likely dates for a contest. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYAt last the country is becoming wise to this terrible Labour Government.Stuart McGregor, Glasgow Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYAt last the country is becoming wise to this terrible Labour Government.Stuart McGregor, Glasgow Send us your comments |
| During canvassing in Crewe and Nantwich, Ms Dunwoody criticised Mr Timpson's "Tory toff" background, leading to accusations that Labour was using "class war" tactics. | During canvassing in Crewe and Nantwich, Ms Dunwoody criticised Mr Timpson's "Tory toff" background, leading to accusations that Labour was using "class war" tactics. |
| In her speech following the result declaration, Ms Dunwoody described the campaign as "robust but fun". | In her speech following the result declaration, Ms Dunwoody described the campaign as "robust but fun". |
| She said to Mr Timpson: "It is an honour to serve the people of Crewe and Nantwich. It is an honour I hope you take seriously - I and everyone will be watching you." | She said to Mr Timpson: "It is an honour to serve the people of Crewe and Nantwich. It is an honour I hope you take seriously - I and everyone will be watching you." |
| The Liberal Democrat candidate Ms Shenton told the government: "You need to know that you were very wrong when you supported a budget that taxed people on ordinary incomes more than the rich." | The Liberal Democrat candidate Ms Shenton told the government: "You need to know that you were very wrong when you supported a budget that taxed people on ordinary incomes more than the rich." |
| But she said she had not met anyone on the campaign trail who said they wanted a Conservative government. | But she said she had not met anyone on the campaign trail who said they wanted a Conservative government. |
| The Conservative Party's last by-election gain was in Mitcham and Morden, south-west London, in 1982. | The Conservative Party's last by-election gain was in Mitcham and Morden, south-west London, in 1982. |
| The full results from the Crewe and Nantwich by-election were: | The full results from the Crewe and Nantwich by-election were: |
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