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| Labour hails Feltham and Heston by-election win | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Labour leader Ed Miliband says his party's victory in the Feltham and Heston by-election is "a verdict on the government's failed economic plan". | |
| Winning candidate Seema Malhotra secured victory in the west London seat with an increased majority of 6,203 over the Tories, a swing of 8.6%. | |
| The Lib Dems held on to third place with 1,364 votes, fighting off UK Independence Party challenge. | |
| Turnout was just 28.8% - the lowest in a by-election for 11 years. | Turnout was just 28.8% - the lowest in a by-election for 11 years. |
| The previous lowest was in West Bromwich West in November 2000 at 27.6%. | The previous lowest was in West Bromwich West in November 2000 at 27.6%. |
| The by-election was prompted by the death last month of Labour MP Alan Keen. | The by-election was prompted by the death last month of Labour MP Alan Keen. |
| 'Better way forward | |
| Visiting the constituency with Ms Malhotra and Labour's London Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone, Mr Miliband said: "This by-election offers a verdict on the government's failed economic plan. | |
| "It's the verdict of young people in Feltham and Heston looking for a job. It's the verdict of people who are seeing their living standards squeezed. | |
| "It's a verdict that says we can't go on with the idea that there is no alternative. It's a verdict that says there is a better way forward." | |
| He said Labour had more to do to win back voters whose trust was lost during its time in office, but the victory showed a swing "from Conservative ideas to Labour ideas". | |
| Mr Miliband said it was "offensive" of the Conservatives to dismiss the result as inevitable. | |
| Ms Malhotra grew up in Feltham, and went to school in Heston. She was an adviser to Harriet Harman during her stint as Leader of the Opposition in 2010. | Ms Malhotra grew up in Feltham, and went to school in Heston. She was an adviser to Harriet Harman during her stint as Leader of the Opposition in 2010. |
| Labour polled a total of 12,639 votes. | Labour polled a total of 12,639 votes. |
| Conservative chairman Baroness Warsi said the result was "disappointing" for her party, although not unexpected. | Conservative chairman Baroness Warsi said the result was "disappointing" for her party, although not unexpected. |
| But she said the very low turnout was "deeply worrying": "By-elections generally have low turnouts, [especially] by-elections at this time of year when it's cold and just before Christmas and people are thinking about other things. | But she said the very low turnout was "deeply worrying": "By-elections generally have low turnouts, [especially] by-elections at this time of year when it's cold and just before Christmas and people are thinking about other things. |
| "But I am concerned about the level of political engagement. It can't be right that on 12,000 votes a constituency can be won." | "But I am concerned about the level of political engagement. It can't be right that on 12,000 votes a constituency can be won." |
| The Conservatives' share of the vote was down from 33% to 28%, while the Lib Dems dropped from 14% to less than 6%. | The Conservatives' share of the vote was down from 33% to 28%, while the Lib Dems dropped from 14% to less than 6%. |
| 'Difficult corner' | 'Difficult corner' |
| UKIP saw its share more than double from 2% to more than 5% - polling 1,276 votes - but it was unable to take third place from the Lib Dems. | |
| It might not make for a sexy headline, but there's been no real change here in Feltham and Heston. | It might not make for a sexy headline, but there's been no real change here in Feltham and Heston. |
| Labour won, like last time, the Conservatives were second, like last time and the Liberal Democrats were third, like last time. | Labour won, like last time, the Conservatives were second, like last time and the Liberal Democrats were third, like last time. |
| Given they are in opposition at Westminster, Labour hoped to nudge a bit further ahead of the rest, and they did. | Given they are in opposition at Westminster, Labour hoped to nudge a bit further ahead of the rest, and they did. |
| The Lib Dems are relieved that they held onto third place, just beating the UK Independence Party. | The Lib Dems are relieved that they held onto third place, just beating the UK Independence Party. |
| All the candidates expressed concern about the turnout of 28.8 per cent, the lowest at a by-election for 11 years. There was, though, something of a perfect storm for indifference: it is days before Christmas, it is dark, it is wet and it is cold, and many expected Labour to win again anyway. | All the candidates expressed concern about the turnout of 28.8 per cent, the lowest at a by-election for 11 years. There was, though, something of a perfect storm for indifference: it is days before Christmas, it is dark, it is wet and it is cold, and many expected Labour to win again anyway. |
| The party - which campaigns for the UK to leave the European Union - said its chances had been damaged by Prime Minister David Cameron's decision to veto an EU-wide treaty at last week Brussels summit, which it believes gave the Tories a boost in the final week of the campaign. | The party - which campaigns for the UK to leave the European Union - said its chances had been damaged by Prime Minister David Cameron's decision to veto an EU-wide treaty at last week Brussels summit, which it believes gave the Tories a boost in the final week of the campaign. |
| Deputy Lib Dem leader Simon Hughes said the result was as expected. | Deputy Lib Dem leader Simon Hughes said the result was as expected. |
| "What happened here was what normally happens in a by-election. People protest against the government, so government parties take a hit [and] the opposition normally moves forward." | "What happened here was what normally happens in a by-election. People protest against the government, so government parties take a hit [and] the opposition normally moves forward." |
| He said his party was "fighting a particularly difficult corner" because it was pro-European in a country "where the majority of people still like to see us, as it were, having a go at our European neighbours". | He said his party was "fighting a particularly difficult corner" because it was pro-European in a country "where the majority of people still like to see us, as it were, having a go at our European neighbours". |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the Lib Dems were "almost a busted flush". | UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the Lib Dems were "almost a busted flush". |
| Feltham and Heston was won by the Conservatives in 1983 and 1987 during Margaret Thatcher's premiership. | Feltham and Heston was won by the Conservatives in 1983 and 1987 during Margaret Thatcher's premiership. |
| At the last general election Labour's majority in the seat, located to the west of London, was cut to 4,658 in a 4.8% swing to the Conservatives. | At the last general election Labour's majority in the seat, located to the west of London, was cut to 4,658 in a 4.8% swing to the Conservatives. |
| All the three main party leaders visited the constituency during campaigning for what is the sixth by-election during this Parliament. | All the three main party leaders visited the constituency during campaigning for what is the sixth by-election during this Parliament. |
| The full results were: | The full results were: |
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