Lib Dems hold off UKIP surge in Eastleigh

The Liberal Democrats are celebrating a win for the party in the Eastleigh by-election. The by-election was caused by the resignation of the former Energy Secretary, Chris Huhne, after he pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. The Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Thornton, who has been a parish and borough councillor since 2007, said: "The people of Eastleigh recognise that the Liberal Democrats have always had a superb record of delivery, we've always listened to what people want, and we always make sure that we do a good job." Party Leader Nick Clegg said this morning "We held our nerve. We stood our ground... We overcame the odds with a stunning victory," he said, adding that the result proved the Lib Dems "can be a party of government and still win".

For the Conservatives the result was a disaster after finishing third behind the UKIP candidate, Diane James, earned the party's strongest ever Westminster by-election result yesterday, by trouncing the Conservatives and Labour as she won 27.8% of the vote. The result indicated a swing of 19.3% from Lib Dems to UKIP but they managed to retain the seat with 32.06% of the vote, a drop of around 14.5% on the General Election.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage told the BBC: "If the Conservatives hadn't split our vote we would have won. What happened here in Eastleigh was not a freak result. Something is changing People are sick and tired of having three social democrat parties that are frankly indistinguishable from each other. If you want to have a managed migration policy, you cannot remain a member of the European Union. My prediction is, that over the next year or two, as the European debate gathers pace in this country, the issue of immigration and border controls will become the absolute key to the whole thing."

For the Conservatives Maria Hutchings finished third a thousand votes behind UKIP. The Conservative leader David Cameron said: "This is a by-election. It's mid-term. It's a protest. That's what happens in by-elections. It's disappointing for the Conservative Party but we must remain true to our principles, true to our course, and that way we can win people back." David Davis (Con: Haltemprice & Howdon) said on the BBC's Daily Politics on Wednesday, when asked if coming third would be a disaster for David Cameron "if we come third it will be a crisis".

For Labour, who finished second in constituency in 1994 under the leadership of Margaret Beckett, finished fourth yesterday when John O'Farrell added just 0.2% onto the vote from the last general election. Labour leader Ed Miliband said this morning he would have preferred to have done better but it was "tough" territory for his party as it had never come close to winning Eastleigh before, even in its 1997 landslide election year. The result, he added, showed Labour needed to "redouble its efforts" to increase its appeal to voters, in the south of England and elsewhere, who were not traditional supporters.

The result in full:

Mike Thornton (Liberal Democrat) 13,342 (32.06%, -14.48%)
Diane James (UKIP) 11,571 (27.80%, +24.20%)
Maria Hutchings (Conservative) 10,559 (25.37%, -13.96%)
John O'Farrell (Labour) 4,088 (9.82%, +0.22%)
Danny Stupple (Independent) 768 (1.85%, +1.56%)
Dr Iain Maclennan (National Health Action Party) 392 (0.94%)
Ray Hall (Beer, Baccy and Crumpet Party) 235 (0.56%)
Kevin Milburn (Christian Party) 163 (0.39%)
Howling Laud Hope (Monster Raving Loony Party) 136 (0.33%)
Jim Duggan (Peace Party) 128 (0.31%)
David Bishop (Elvis Loves Pets) 72 (0.17%)
Michael Walters (English Democrats) 70 (0.17%, -0.30%)
Daz Procter (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts) 62 (0.15%)
Colin Bex (Wessex Regionalist) 30 (0.07%)

Lib Dem Hold Majority 1,771