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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Labour fifth as Tories win Henley | Labour fifth as Tories win Henley |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Conservatives have won the Henley by-election, pushing Labour into fifth place on the day Prime Minister Gordon Brown marks his first year in office. | The Conservatives have won the Henley by-election, pushing Labour into fifth place on the day Prime Minister Gordon Brown marks his first year in office. |
| John Howell, who won with a majority of 10,116 ahead of the Lib Dems, replaces Boris Johnson, who stood down as an MP after becoming London mayor. | John Howell, who won with a majority of 10,116 ahead of the Lib Dems, replaces Boris Johnson, who stood down as an MP after becoming London mayor. |
| Mr Howell said it was "clear that the New Labour coalition is falling apart". | Mr Howell said it was "clear that the New Labour coalition is falling apart". |
| Labour candidate Richard McKenzie lost his deposit as he trailed in behind the Greens and the British National Party. | Labour candidate Richard McKenzie lost his deposit as he trailed in behind the Greens and the British National Party. |
| The turnout was just over 50%, compared with 67.9% in 2005. | The turnout was just over 50%, compared with 67.9% in 2005. |
| Mr Howell took the seat with 19,796 votes to the Lib Dem candidate Stephen Kearney's 9,680. | Mr Howell took the seat with 19,796 votes to the Lib Dem candidate Stephen Kearney's 9,680. |
| Labour's Richard McKenzie could only poll 1,066 votes, behind the Green Party's Mark Stevenson on 1,321 and the BNP's Timothy Rait on 1,243. | Labour's Richard McKenzie could only poll 1,066 votes, behind the Green Party's Mark Stevenson on 1,321 and the BNP's Timothy Rait on 1,243. |
| Both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats saw their share of the vote rise compared with the 2005 General Election while Labour's fell by more than 11%. | Both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats saw their share of the vote rise compared with the 2005 General Election while Labour's fell by more than 11%. |
| 'Off our backs' | 'Off our backs' |
| Oxfordshire councillor Mr Howell said the vote showed that people had had enough of Labour. | Oxfordshire councillor Mr Howell said the vote showed that people had had enough of Labour. |
| "The British public has sent a message to Gordon Brown to 'get off our backs, stop the endless tax rises and help us cope with the rising cost of living'," he said. | "The British public has sent a message to Gordon Brown to 'get off our backs, stop the endless tax rises and help us cope with the rising cost of living'," he said. |
| "It's clear that the New Labour coalition is falling apart and that the Conservatives under David Cameron's leadership are on the march. | "It's clear that the New Labour coalition is falling apart and that the Conservatives under David Cameron's leadership are on the march. |
| RESULT AT-A-GLANCE John Howell: Conservative 19,796 Stephen Kearney: Lib Dems 9,680Mark Stevenson: Green 1,321Timothy Rait: BNP 1,243Richard McKenzie: Labour 1,066Chris Adams: UKIP 843 | RESULT AT-A-GLANCE John Howell: Conservative 19,796 Stephen Kearney: Lib Dems 9,680Mark Stevenson: Green 1,321Timothy Rait: BNP 1,243Richard McKenzie: Labour 1,066Chris Adams: UKIP 843 |
| "It is our agenda of giving people more opportunity and control over their own lives, of making families stronger and society more responsible, of making Britain safer and greener that is setting the pace in politics now." | "It is our agenda of giving people more opportunity and control over their own lives, of making families stronger and society more responsible, of making Britain safer and greener that is setting the pace in politics now." |
| His election agent, shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling said that it had been a "very bad night" for both Labour and the Liberal Democrats. | His election agent, shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling said that it had been a "very bad night" for both Labour and the Liberal Democrats. |
| "We have done very well in holding this seat with a majority as big as we have. I feel really confident now that the party is moving forward," he said. | "We have done very well in holding this seat with a majority as big as we have. I feel really confident now that the party is moving forward," he said. |
| The Labour MP for the neighbouring constituency of Reading West, Martin Salter, admitted it had been a terrible night for his party, which had attained third place in 2005. | The Labour MP for the neighbouring constituency of Reading West, Martin Salter, admitted it had been a terrible night for his party, which had attained third place in 2005. |
| However, he said: "It is very difficult to divine a clear message for Gordon Brown in a seat in which we had no chance at all. It is one of the worst seats for Labour in the country." | However, he said: "It is very difficult to divine a clear message for Gordon Brown in a seat in which we had no chance at all. It is one of the worst seats for Labour in the country." |
| But he accused the Lib Dems of running a "dirty and unpleasant" election campaign. | But he accused the Lib Dems of running a "dirty and unpleasant" election campaign. |
| "This famous Lib Dem by-election machine has run into the sand and this has been one of the most dirty and unpleasant campaigns I've ever witnessed. I think the Lib Dems are going to have to revisit their tactics." | "This famous Lib Dem by-election machine has run into the sand and this has been one of the most dirty and unpleasant campaigns I've ever witnessed. I think the Lib Dems are going to have to revisit their tactics." |
| The Liberal Democrat candidate, Stephen Kearney, said voters were angry and fed up with the government. | The Liberal Democrat candidate, Stephen Kearney, said voters were angry and fed up with the government. |
| "This is an abysmal result for the Labour party that has been in government for almost 11 years and has lost most of its support. | "This is an abysmal result for the Labour party that has been in government for almost 11 years and has lost most of its support. |
| "But I have found no positive enthusiasm for the Conservative alternative. | "But I have found no positive enthusiasm for the Conservative alternative. |
| "The Conservatives can say what they are against, but they have failed to say anything about what they are for and what they stand for." | "The Conservatives can say what they are against, but they have failed to say anything about what they are for and what they stand for." |
| And Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said the result showed Mr Brown's days in No 10 were numbered. | |
| "Labour's days are well and truly over and it is the Liberal Democrats who are challenging the Conservatives in the south and Labour in the north," he said. |