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Conservatives win Newark by-election amid UKIP challenge | Conservatives win Newark by-election amid UKIP challenge |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Conservatives have won the Newark by-election, retaining the seat with a majority of more than 7,000. | |
Candidate Robert Jenrick polled 17,431 votes, beating UKIP's Roger Helmer, who finished second with 10,028 votes. | Candidate Robert Jenrick polled 17,431 votes, beating UKIP's Roger Helmer, who finished second with 10,028 votes. |
Labour's Michael Payne came third with 6,842 votes but it was a disastrous result for the Lib Dems, who were beaten into sixth place. | Labour's Michael Payne came third with 6,842 votes but it was a disastrous result for the Lib Dems, who were beaten into sixth place. |
Candidate David Watts finished behind an Independent and the Green Party, losing his deposit in the process. | Candidate David Watts finished behind an Independent and the Green Party, losing his deposit in the process. |
The Lib Dems' 1,004 votes represents their worst performance in a post-war English by-election. | The Lib Dems' 1,004 votes represents their worst performance in a post-war English by-election. |
Opinion polls had suggested the Tories would hold on to what was considered a safe seat, where they had recorded a majority of 16,152 in the 2010 election. | Opinion polls had suggested the Tories would hold on to what was considered a safe seat, where they had recorded a majority of 16,152 in the 2010 election. |
The resignation of former Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, who quit over a cash-for-questions scandal, had raised expectations in UKIP that they could cause a major upset by winning their first Westminster seat. | The resignation of former Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, who quit over a cash-for-questions scandal, had raised expectations in UKIP that they could cause a major upset by winning their first Westminster seat. |
Newark by-election: result in full | Newark by-election: result in full |
Robert Jenrick (Con) 17,431 (45.03%, -8.82%) | Robert Jenrick (Con) 17,431 (45.03%, -8.82%) |
Roger Helmer (UKIP) 10,028 (25.91%, +22.09%) | Roger Helmer (UKIP) 10,028 (25.91%, +22.09%) |
Michael Payne (Lab) 6,842 (17.68%, -4.65%) | Michael Payne (Lab) 6,842 (17.68%, -4.65%) |
Paul Baggaley (Ind) 1,891 (4.89%) | Paul Baggaley (Ind) 1,891 (4.89%) |
David Kirwan (Green) 1,057 (2.73%) | David Kirwan (Green) 1,057 (2.73%) |
David Watts (LD) 1,004 (2.59%, -17.41%) | David Watts (LD) 1,004 (2.59%, -17.41%) |
Nick The Flying Brick (Loony) 168 (0.43%) | Nick The Flying Brick (Loony) 168 (0.43%) |
Andy Hayes (Ind) 117 (0.30%) | Andy Hayes (Ind) 117 (0.30%) |
David Bishop (BP Elvis) 87 (0.22%) | David Bishop (BP Elvis) 87 (0.22%) |
Dick Rodgers (Stop Banks) 64 (0.17%) | Dick Rodgers (Stop Banks) 64 (0.17%) |
Lee Woods (Pat Soc) 18 (0.05%) | Lee Woods (Pat Soc) 18 (0.05%) |
Con majority 7,403 (19.13%) | Con majority 7,403 (19.13%) |
15.46% swing Con to UKIP | 15.46% swing Con to UKIP |
Electorate 73,486; Turnout 38,707 (52.67%, -18.69%) | Electorate 73,486; Turnout 38,707 (52.67%, -18.69%) |
But UKIP's performance on the night did not reflect their strong showing in the recent European elections and they fell well short of their ambition of taking 30% of the vote. | But UKIP's performance on the night did not reflect their strong showing in the recent European elections and they fell well short of their ambition of taking 30% of the vote. |
They did, however, increase their share of the vote from 2010 by 22.1% and more than halved the Tories' majority. | They did, however, increase their share of the vote from 2010 by 22.1% and more than halved the Tories' majority. |
In finishing third, Labour polled 17.68% of the vote, down 4.65% from the General Election. | In finishing third, Labour polled 17.68% of the vote, down 4.65% from the General Election. |
The Conservatives campaigned hard as part of their efforts to retain the seat, with Prime Minister David Cameron visiting four times, while dozens of Conservative ministers and MPs flooded the town during the course of the short campaign. | The Conservatives campaigned hard as part of their efforts to retain the seat, with Prime Minister David Cameron visiting four times, while dozens of Conservative ministers and MPs flooded the town during the course of the short campaign. |
Mr Cameron's efforts paid off as the election of Mr Jenrick, a 32-year-old managing director at Christies auction house, marked the first time in 25 years the Conservatives had won a by-election whilst in power. | Mr Cameron's efforts paid off as the election of Mr Jenrick, a 32-year-old managing director at Christies auction house, marked the first time in 25 years the Conservatives had won a by-election whilst in power. |
In his victory speech, Mr Jenrick said: "I want to thank the prime minister for his personal support to my campaign and I want to thank the government for its commitment to re-building Britain. | In his victory speech, Mr Jenrick said: "I want to thank the prime minister for his personal support to my campaign and I want to thank the government for its commitment to re-building Britain. |
"I hope now that I can repay the faith and trust that the people of Newark have put in me as your new member of parliament - and in the months and years to come I can build a reputation as a strong and effective MP." | "I hope now that I can repay the faith and trust that the people of Newark have put in me as your new member of parliament - and in the months and years to come I can build a reputation as a strong and effective MP." |
UKIP leader Nigel Farage conceded defeat before the result was announced, saying: "I think this has been a stunning campaign that we've fought in a very short space of time. | UKIP leader Nigel Farage conceded defeat before the result was announced, saying: "I think this has been a stunning campaign that we've fought in a very short space of time. |
"We've been up against probably the biggest ever Conservative machine, defending about their 40th safest seat in the country. If the indications are right, we'll be celebrating a massive advance for our party." | "We've been up against probably the biggest ever Conservative machine, defending about their 40th safest seat in the country. If the indications are right, we'll be celebrating a massive advance for our party." |
Labour MP Chris Bryant, who ran his party's campaign, said the Tories' win was no surprise: "This is the 44th safest Conservative seat in the country. | Labour MP Chris Bryant, who ran his party's campaign, said the Tories' win was no surprise: "This is the 44th safest Conservative seat in the country. |
"There are cabinet ministers who wouldn't be MPs if they were to lose seats like this. | "There are cabinet ministers who wouldn't be MPs if they were to lose seats like this. |
"They didn't just throw the kitchen sink at it - they threw the butlers' sink, they threw the crockery, all the silverware, the Aga, the butler, the home help, everything at it. | "They didn't just throw the kitchen sink at it - they threw the butlers' sink, they threw the crockery, all the silverware, the Aga, the butler, the home help, everything at it. |
"I think this really shows that the Conservatives - who haven't won a general election since 1992 - still haven't got a winning streak with them." | "I think this really shows that the Conservatives - who haven't won a general election since 1992 - still haven't got a winning streak with them." |
Lib Dem candidate Mr Watts said: "Well it wasn't a good result, but smaller parties often get squeezed in by-elections and that's what's happened to us here. | Lib Dem candidate Mr Watts said: "Well it wasn't a good result, but smaller parties often get squeezed in by-elections and that's what's happened to us here. |
"We knew, from talking to people today, that a lot of our voters had transferred to vote against UKIP to make sure UKIP didn't get elected and some have clearly gone to Paul's [Independent candidate Paul Baggaley] campaign on the hospital which is a very important campaign." | "We knew, from talking to people today, that a lot of our voters had transferred to vote against UKIP to make sure UKIP didn't get elected and some have clearly gone to Paul's [Independent candidate Paul Baggaley] campaign on the hospital which is a very important campaign." |