This article is from the source 'guardian' 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.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/may/03/south-shields-byelection-ukip-labour
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| South Shields byelection: Ukip become 'the party of opposition' | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| They say second place is first loser. But the UK Independence party looked for all the world like they had won the byelection in South Shields. | They say second place is first loser. But the UK Independence party looked for all the world like they had won the byelection in South Shields. |
| "If we can get 24%-plus here from zero in 17 days, that's an amazing feat for Ukip," said Lisa Duffy, the party's indefatigable director, resplendent in monochrome polka dots and a purple and yellow rosette. "Second place here shows that we are clearly the party of opposition, whether north or south. If we can get 24% in a safe Labour seat, it is proof we don't just take votes from the Tories." | "If we can get 24%-plus here from zero in 17 days, that's an amazing feat for Ukip," said Lisa Duffy, the party's indefatigable director, resplendent in monochrome polka dots and a purple and yellow rosette. "Second place here shows that we are clearly the party of opposition, whether north or south. If we can get 24% in a safe Labour seat, it is proof we don't just take votes from the Tories." |
| She summoned an apparatchik brandishing a piece of paper showing the last five byelection results: Rotherham, Eastleigh, Barnsley, Corby, Middlesbrough. "In five of those we've now beaten the Tories; in five we beat the Lib Dems," said Duffy. The result was all the more remarkable given that Ukip didn't even bother fielding a candidate in South Shields in the 2010 general election. | She summoned an apparatchik brandishing a piece of paper showing the last five byelection results: Rotherham, Eastleigh, Barnsley, Corby, Middlesbrough. "In five of those we've now beaten the Tories; in five we beat the Lib Dems," said Duffy. The result was all the more remarkable given that Ukip didn't even bother fielding a candidate in South Shields in the 2010 general election. |
| Labour's Emma Lewell-Buck won the South Shields poll comfortably, with 12,493 votes, but Ukip's Richard Elvin recorded 6,505 votes. The Conservatives finished third, with the Lib Dems pushed down to seventh place. After her win, Lewell-Buck said: "Ukip did make inroads, but ultimately the people of South Shields have spoken, and they want a Labour MP." | Labour's Emma Lewell-Buck won the South Shields poll comfortably, with 12,493 votes, but Ukip's Richard Elvin recorded 6,505 votes. The Conservatives finished third, with the Lib Dems pushed down to seventh place. After her win, Lewell-Buck said: "Ukip did make inroads, but ultimately the people of South Shields have spoken, and they want a Labour MP." |
| South Shields' new MP, a 34-year-old social worker, said her background meant she had seen people living with poverty. "I have seen how people live under a coalition government and are really struggling, and I want to make a difference." | South Shields' new MP, a 34-year-old social worker, said her background meant she had seen people living with poverty. "I have seen how people live under a coalition government and are really struggling, and I want to make a difference." |
| Labour pulled out all the stops to ensure they did not lose their grip on one of their safest seats. Both Milibands – David, the former MP, and Ed, the Labour leader – made a visit. Ed phoned the Shields Gazette to give them an "exclusive" rallying cry, ensuring positive local publicity. Ed Balls made the trek; so too did Harriet Harman and Yvette Cooper, not to mention the unsung cavalry from the backbenches and beyond. | Labour pulled out all the stops to ensure they did not lose their grip on one of their safest seats. Both Milibands – David, the former MP, and Ed, the Labour leader – made a visit. Ed phoned the Shields Gazette to give them an "exclusive" rallying cry, ensuring positive local publicity. Ed Balls made the trek; so too did Harriet Harman and Yvette Cooper, not to mention the unsung cavalry from the backbenches and beyond. |
| Lewell-Buck had been fed a laundry list of attack lines to use on the doorstep when a voter confessed they were thinking about voting Ukip. "Did you know [Ukip leader] Nigel Farage wants to decriminalise crack cocaine?" she would tell school-run mums. "Vote for Ukip and we'll lose thousands of jobs in South Tyneside," she informed dockers turned car manufacturers, fearful for their jobs at the Nissan plant. | Lewell-Buck had been fed a laundry list of attack lines to use on the doorstep when a voter confessed they were thinking about voting Ukip. "Did you know [Ukip leader] Nigel Farage wants to decriminalise crack cocaine?" she would tell school-run mums. "Vote for Ukip and we'll lose thousands of jobs in South Tyneside," she informed dockers turned car manufacturers, fearful for their jobs at the Nissan plant. |
| "All nonsense," said Elvin, Ukip's debonair candidate, on the campaign trail last week. "They're scaremongering." | "All nonsense," said Elvin, Ukip's debonair candidate, on the campaign trail last week. "They're scaremongering." |
| In the final week of the 17-day campaign, Labour produced a devious two-sided leaflet, with one side in Ukip colours, devoted to attacking the pesky upstarts. Ukip's purple and yellow logo had been manipulated to read "Are U-kid-ding?". The leaflet, distributed to households across the town, said Ukip would "take benefits off your mam" and take money out of South Shields hospital, according to Duffy. | In the final week of the 17-day campaign, Labour produced a devious two-sided leaflet, with one side in Ukip colours, devoted to attacking the pesky upstarts. Ukip's purple and yellow logo had been manipulated to read "Are U-kid-ding?". The leaflet, distributed to households across the town, said Ukip would "take benefits off your mam" and take money out of South Shields hospital, according to Duffy. |
| It also accused Elvin of being a "career politician" – a curious claim for someone not yet elected to public office (he has, however, stood in parliamentary elections twice before: he came a distant second in a by–election in Middlesbrough in 2012 and sixth when contesting Houghton and Sunderland South in 2010). It was all the more curious given Lewell-Buck has sat on the local council since she was 23. | It also accused Elvin of being a "career politician" – a curious claim for someone not yet elected to public office (he has, however, stood in parliamentary elections twice before: he came a distant second in a by–election in Middlesbrough in 2012 and sixth when contesting Houghton and Sunderland South in 2010). It was all the more curious given Lewell-Buck has sat on the local council since she was 23. |
| "I think these dirty tactics are a disgrace," said Paul Nuttall, an MEP who serves as Ukip's deputy leader and is occasionally allowed to claim some sort of glory when Farage is otherwise engaged. "These are the sort of tactics we've seen in other byelections and in the local elections, too. You can say, 'Well, Ukip are coming under scrutiny', but I've never seen any other party's candidates coming under this sort of scrutiny. It just shows the other parties are scared of us." It is only a matter of time before Ukip breaks through, he said. "We're knocking on the door and sooner rather than later we are going to kick the door in." | "I think these dirty tactics are a disgrace," said Paul Nuttall, an MEP who serves as Ukip's deputy leader and is occasionally allowed to claim some sort of glory when Farage is otherwise engaged. "These are the sort of tactics we've seen in other byelections and in the local elections, too. You can say, 'Well, Ukip are coming under scrutiny', but I've never seen any other party's candidates coming under this sort of scrutiny. It just shows the other parties are scared of us." It is only a matter of time before Ukip breaks through, he said. "We're knocking on the door and sooner rather than later we are going to kick the door in." |
| By getting elected, Lewell-Buck has made local history, becoming the seaside constituency's first female MP and the first woman to represent South Tyneside since "red" Ellen Wilkinson, who led the march from her neighbouring Jarrow constituency in 1936."It's humbling to follow in the footsteps of some great men, but I can assure you that this woman will walk in her own way," she said in her speech. | By getting elected, Lewell-Buck has made local history, becoming the seaside constituency's first female MP and the first woman to represent South Tyneside since "red" Ellen Wilkinson, who led the march from her neighbouring Jarrow constituency in 1936."It's humbling to follow in the footsteps of some great men, but I can assure you that this woman will walk in her own way," she said in her speech. |
| But will Lewell-Buck keep the seat for as long as her predecessors? David Miliband was in office for 12 years, and previous MPs stayed for decades. | But will Lewell-Buck keep the seat for as long as her predecessors? David Miliband was in office for 12 years, and previous MPs stayed for decades. |
| Elvin said she shouldn't get too comfortable. He has vowed to contest South Shields in 2015, if the party will let him. | Elvin said she shouldn't get too comfortable. He has vowed to contest South Shields in 2015, if the party will let him. |
| "With a longer lead-in time, who knows what might have happened here?" he said. "Who knows what will happen in 2015? My message to Emma would be: don't buy a house in London just yet." | "With a longer lead-in time, who knows what might have happened here?" he said. "Who knows what will happen in 2015? My message to Emma would be: don't buy a house in London just yet." |
| South Shields result | South Shields result |
| Emma Lewell-Buck Labour 12,493 | Emma Lewell-Buck Labour 12,493 |
| Richard Elvin Ukip 5,988 | Richard Elvin Ukip 5,988 |
| Karen Allen Conservative 2,857 | Karen Allen Conservative 2,857 |
| Ahmed Khan Independent 1,331 | Ahmed Khan Independent 1,331 |
| Phil Brown Independent Socialist 750 | Phil Brown Independent Socialist 750 |
| Dorothy MacBeth Brookes BNP 711 | Dorothy MacBeth Brookes BNP 711 |
| Hugh Annand Liberal Democrat 352 | Hugh Annand Liberal Democrat 352 |
| Howling Laud Hope Loony 197 | Howling Laud Hope Loony 197 |
| Thomas Darwood Independent 57 | Thomas Darwood Independent 57 |
| Turnout: 39.28% | Turnout: 39.28% |