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Labour wins Middleton by-election, but UKIP slashes majority UKIP gains first elected MP with Clacton by-election win
(35 minutes later)
Labour has held the Greater Manchester seat of Heywood and Middleton in a by-election, but with its majority slashed by the UK Independence Party. The UK Independence Party has gained its first-ever elected MP, with Douglas Carswell taking the seat of Clacton, Essex, by 12,404 votes.
Candidate Liz McInnes won by a 617-vote margin, down from Labour's 5,971 majority at the 2010 general election. Mr Carswell, who defected from the Conservatives, knocked his old party, which enjoyed a 12,068 majority at the 2010 election, into second place.
The result of the by-election in Clacton, Essex, which UKIP is expected to win, is due later on Friday morning. Meanwhile, Labour held on to Heywood and Middleton, Greater Manchester, but UKIP slashed its majority to 617.
Its candidate Douglas Carswell, stood down as an MP after defecting from the Conservatives in August. Turnout was 51% in Clacton and 36% in Heywood and Middleton.
A "bundle check" of votes took place in Heywood and Middleton, because of the closeness of the result in the seat, which has been held by Labour since its creation in 1983. Turnout was 36%. When Mr Carswell, a Conservative MP since 2005, defected, he also resigned as an MP to trigger the by-election in Clacton. Another Conservative MP, Bob Spink, defected to UKIP in 2008 but he did not resign and stand for election.
MP's death In his acceptance speech, Mr Carswell, who gained 21,113 votes, said of UKIP: "There's nothing that we cannot achieve, nothing that we cannot achieve in Essex, East Anglia and the whole country."
Ms McInnes won 11,633 votes, with UKIP's John Bickley getting 11,016. Conservative Iain Gartside came third with 3,496 votes and Liberal Democrat Anthony Smith fourth with 1,457. 'Bundle check'
He condemned the other Westminster parties for operating "cosy cartel politics".
Conservative candidate Giles Watling got 8,709 votes.
In Heywood and Middleton, a "bundle check" of votes took place because of the closeness of the result in the seat, which has been held by Labour since its creation in 1983.
Labour's Liz McInnes got 11,633 votes, with UKIP's John Bickley gaining 11,016. Conservative Iain Gartside came third with 3,496 votes and Liberal Democrat Anthony Smith fourth with 1,457.
Ms McInnes told the BBC: "I'm going to work damn hard in this constituency. People here will have an MP who is going to fight for their interests."Ms McInnes told the BBC: "I'm going to work damn hard in this constituency. People here will have an MP who is going to fight for their interests."
But Mr Bickley said Labour were in "big trouble". But Mr Bickley said: "Labour are in big trouble. This should have been a safe seat. They have thrown everything at it and they have only just scraped home."
"This should have been a safe seat," he said. "They have thrown everything at it and they have only just scraped home." The Heywood and Middleton contest was prompted by the death of long-serving Labour MP Jim Dobbin last month. His majority at the last general election was 5,971.
Earlier, Conservative Communities Secretary Eric Pickles appeared to admit UKIP was likely to beat his party in Clacton, saying on BBC One's Question Time: "I live in optimistic hope that a Conservative will be returned tonight, but I fear I will be disappointed." Another by-election is due to take place next month in Rochester and Strood, Kent, following the resignation of Mark Reckless who, like Mr Carswell, defected from the Conservatives to UKIP. Mr Reckless is also running for re-election.
When Mr Carswell, a Conservative MP since 2005, defected, he also resigned as an MP to trigger the by-election.
Polls suggest he will keep the seat - in which turnout was 51%. Mr Carswell told the BBC: "It's looking pretty encouraging. We have a long way to go, but so far, so good."
The Heywood and Middleton poll was prompted by the death of long-serving Labour MP Jim Dobbin last month.