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Sleaford byelection: Caroline Johnson holds seat for Conservatives Sleaford byelection: Caroline Johnson holds seat for Conservatives
(35 minutes later)
The Conservatives have held the seat of Sleaford and North Hykeham in Lincolnshire in a byelection triggered by the resignation of Stephen Phillips over “irreconcilable policy differences” with Theresa May.The Conservatives have held the seat of Sleaford and North Hykeham in Lincolnshire in a byelection triggered by the resignation of Stephen Phillips over “irreconcilable policy differences” with Theresa May.
Caroline Johnson, a children’s doctor and local Conservative, won the seat with a large majority of 17,570 votes. Her Ukip rival, Victoria Ayling, came second with 4,426.Caroline Johnson, a children’s doctor and local Conservative, won the seat with a large majority of 17,570 votes. Her Ukip rival, Victoria Ayling, came second with 4,426.
The Conservatives had been widely expected to keep the long-held seat but in an embarrassment to Labour the party was beaten into fourth place by Ukip and the Liberal Democrats. Labour slipped from second place at the 2015 general election. The Conservatives had been widely expected to keep the long-held seat but in an embarrassment to Labour the party was beaten into fourth place by Ukip and the Liberal Democrats.
Ukip gained on their result at the general election as Ayling accused the Conservatives of being “Brexit backsliders” and Labour’s candidate of having wanted to stay in the EU. Ukip’s Ayling had accused the Conservatives of being “Brexit backsliders” and Labour’s candidate of having wanted to stay in the EU.
Labour slipped from second place at the 2015 general election to receive 3,363 votes, down 7.02%. The Lib Dems received 3,606 votes, up 5.33%.
The result underlines Theresa May’s poll lead and Labour’s poor showing in English rural areas, despite a hard-fought campaign on the NHS by bin man Jim Clarke, the Labour candidate. When the seat was created in 1997 the Tories had a majority of just 5,000 over Labour but that ballooned to make Sleaford one of the government’s safest seats in the country.The result underlines Theresa May’s poll lead and Labour’s poor showing in English rural areas, despite a hard-fought campaign on the NHS by bin man Jim Clarke, the Labour candidate. When the seat was created in 1997 the Tories had a majority of just 5,000 over Labour but that ballooned to make Sleaford one of the government’s safest seats in the country.
There was no repeat of the shock byelection result at Richmond in south-west London last Thursday, which saw the pro-remain Lib Dems unseat the pro-leave former Tory MP Zac Goldsmith. The Liberal Democrat candidate, Ross Pepper, was the only contender in favour of staying in the EU in a constituency where 40% backed remain in June’s referendum.
However there was no repeat of the shock byelection result at Richmond in south-west London last Thursday, which saw the pro-remain Lib Dems unseat the pro-leave former Tory MP Zac Goldsmith.