This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-politics-16187493
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Labour wins Feltham and Heston by-election | Labour wins Feltham and Heston by-election |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Labour has held the Feltham and Heston seat in a by-election, with an eight per cent swing from the Conservatives. | Labour has held the Feltham and Heston seat in a by-election, with an eight per cent swing from the Conservatives. |
| The poll was caused by the death of former Labour MP Alan Keen last month. | The poll was caused by the death of former Labour MP Alan Keen last month. |
| Labour candidate Seema Malhotra secured victory with a majority of 6,203 over the Tories, who polled 6,436. | Labour candidate Seema Malhotra secured victory with a majority of 6,203 over the Tories, who polled 6,436. |
| The Liberal Democrats held on to third place with 1,364 votes despite a challenge from the UK Independence Party, who polled 1,276. | |
| The winning candidate described her victory as a "wake-up call" for the government. | The winning candidate described her victory as a "wake-up call" for the government. |
| "This result shows that this Tory-led government is totally out of touch," she said. | "This result shows that this Tory-led government is totally out of touch," she said. |
| She said the result was a "vote of confidence in the way Labour is changing, listening harder, winning back the trust of the people we seek to serve". | |
| 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 and BBC political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said of the win: "The fly in the ointment is the turnout, which has been pretty depressing as by-elections go." | Labour polled a total of 12,639 votes and BBC political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said of the win: "The fly in the ointment is the turnout, which has been pretty depressing as by-elections go." |
| Turnout has been estimated at 28.8% and our correspondent said this is the lowest in a by-election for 11 years - the previous lowest was in West Bromwich West in November 2000 at 27.6%. | Turnout has been estimated at 28.8% and our correspondent said this is the lowest in a by-election for 11 years - the previous lowest was in West Bromwich West in November 2000 at 27.6%. |
| The economy was a bigger issue for people going to the polls than Europe, he added. | The economy was a bigger issue for people going to the polls than Europe, he added. |
| UKIP had been hoping to secure third place from the Lib Dems. | UKIP had been hoping to secure third place from the Lib Dems. |
| It conceded its chances had been damaged by PM David Cameron's decision to use the veto at the Brussels summit which boosted the Tories in the final week of the campaign. | It conceded its chances had been damaged by PM David Cameron's decision to use the veto at the Brussels summit which boosted the Tories in the final week of the campaign. |
| 'Still relevant' | |
| Roger Crouch, the Lib Dem candidate, said the party had defied predictions it would be beaten into fourth place and lose its deposit. | |
| "We have shown that we are still resilient and still relevant," he said. | |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the Lib Dems were "almost a busted flush". | |
| Feltham and Heston is seen as a marginal seat, having been won by Tories in 1983 and 1987 during Margaret Thatcher's time as PM. | |
| 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 Tories. | |
| 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 list of candidates standing was: | The full list of candidates standing was: |
| David Bishop (Bus-Pass Elvis Party) | David Bishop (Bus-Pass Elvis Party) |
| Mark Bowen (Conservative) | Mark Bowen (Conservative) |
| Andrew Charalambous (UKIP) | Andrew Charalambous (UKIP) |
| Roger Cooper (English Democrats) | Roger Cooper (English Democrats) |
| Roger Crouch (Liberal Democrat) | Roger Crouch (Liberal Democrat) |
| David Furness (BNP) | David Furness (BNP) |
| Daniel Goldsmith (Green) | Daniel Goldsmith (Green) |
| George Hallam (London People Before Profit) | George Hallam (London People Before Profit) |
| Seema Malhotra (Labour) | Seema Malhotra (Labour) |