Lib Dems win Cheadle by-election (Swindon Liberal Democrats)

Swindon Liberal Democrats <info@swindonlibdems.org>

Lib Dems win Cheadle by-election

July 15, 2005 4:46 AM

Lib Dem MP Mark Hunter and Charles Kennedy

newly elected Lib Dem MP Mark Hunter with Charles Kennedy

The Liberal Democrats have triumphed in Cheadle in the first parliamentary by-election of this parliament . The election was triggered by the death of Lib Dem MP Patsy Calton.

Mark Hunter held the Greater Manchester seat for the Lib Dems with 19,953 votes, a 3,657 majority over Tory candidate Stephen Day, who came second.

Mr Hunter said people had voted for a "more honest and positive approach". Labour's Martin Miller came third with 1,739 votes but lost his £500 deposit.

Mr Hunter's first words as Cheadle MP were to pay tribute to Patsy Calton MP, who died of cancer just days after taking the Commons oath following her win in the May 5 General Election.

The swing was 0.63% from Conservatives to Liberal Democrats - Mr Miller lost his deposit because he won less than 5% of the vote.

Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Mark Hunter said he believed there was a "backlash" against the "American-style" canvassing tactics which parties like the Conservatives had used.

He said he was "extremely proud" to be representing Cheadle as their next MP.

"This has been a hard fought campaign. The Conservatives have failed again and have disgraced themselves with more negative and personal mud-slinging than ever before," Mr Hunter said.

He said voters "did not trust the Conservatives any longer".

The result is a severe setback for Tories, locked into a long-running leadership battle. Cheadle is a marginal seat which Conservatives should expect to win if they are again to obtain a Commons majority.

Three-times failed Tory Mr Day said he would not stand as a parliamentary candidate again. He said: "This is the best by-election result we have had in a long time and it is the Labour Party which is in trouble."

But the Labour candidate, Mr Miller said the result "showed that people were willing to vote for anyone to make sure the Conservative Party did not win".

Charles Kennedy said: "This is a first class victory for the Liberal Democrats. It is further proof that British politics is now three party politics - with the Lib Dems as a growing force for the future."