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UKIP claim Labour seats 'not safe' in the North UKIP claims Labour seats 'not safe' in northern England
(35 minutes later)
Labour seats in the north of England are "not safe" after the party won the Heywood and Middleton by-election by 617 votes, the UKIP candidate claimed.Labour seats in the north of England are "not safe" after the party won the Heywood and Middleton by-election by 617 votes, the UKIP candidate claimed.
John Bickley said Labour "scraped home" to win a seat it took with a majority of 5,971 in 2010.John Bickley said Labour "scraped home" to win a seat it took with a majority of 5,971 in 2010.
New Labour MP Liz McInnes was "not disappointed" by the reduced margin and plans to rebuild community relations after "fighting for every single vote".New Labour MP Liz McInnes was "not disappointed" by the reduced margin and plans to rebuild community relations after "fighting for every single vote".
Local Tory leader Ashley Dearnley said the party had "loaned voters" to UKIP.Local Tory leader Ashley Dearnley said the party had "loaned voters" to UKIP.
The swing from Labour to UKIP was 18% in the Greater Manchester constituency, which has been a Labour stronghold since it was created in 1983. In Clacton, Douglas Carswell became UKIP's first elected MP in a by-election prompted by his defection from the Conservative Party.
The by-election was prompted by the death of long-serving Labour MP Jim Dobbin, 73, last month. Mr Carswell knocked his old party - which won with a 12,068 majority at the 2010 election - into second place. He took the Essex seat for UKIP with a majority of 12,404 votes.
In Heywood and Middleton, the swing from Labour to UKIP was 18% in a constituency which has been a Labour stronghold since it was created in 1983.
The by-election in the Greater Manchester constituency was prompted by the death of long-serving Labour MP Jim Dobbin, 73, last month.
'Sleepless nights''Sleepless nights'
UKIP candidate Mr Bickley said: "The Labour Party shouldn't have to get out of bed to win a seat like this.UKIP candidate Mr Bickley said: "The Labour Party shouldn't have to get out of bed to win a seat like this.
"They have thrown the kitchen sink at this and they have only just scraped home.""They have thrown the kitchen sink at this and they have only just scraped home."
He added: "They've got to be having some very sleepless nights now because in the north of England they are not safe."He added: "They've got to be having some very sleepless nights now because in the north of England they are not safe."
Ms McInnes said: "I'm not disappointed that the majority has been reduced. I knew this was going to be a tough fight.Ms McInnes said: "I'm not disappointed that the majority has been reduced. I knew this was going to be a tough fight.
"We have run a really strong, positive campaign and we fought for every single seat."We have run a really strong, positive campaign and we fought for every single seat.
"I am proud and honoured to have been selected as the MP for this area," she added."I am proud and honoured to have been selected as the MP for this area," she added.
Mr Dearnley, who leads the Conservative group in the area, said: "I think the real disaster is for the Labour Party to almost lose a seat that they held for all these years with massive majorities.Mr Dearnley, who leads the Conservative group in the area, said: "I think the real disaster is for the Labour Party to almost lose a seat that they held for all these years with massive majorities.
"To come within 600 of losing, it proves as we all know now, no-one has any confidence whatsoever in Ed Miliband and the Labour Party.""To come within 600 of losing, it proves as we all know now, no-one has any confidence whatsoever in Ed Miliband and the Labour Party."
He claimed Conservative voters at the by-election had "loaned their vote to UKIP as a one-off".He claimed Conservative voters at the by-election had "loaned their vote to UKIP as a one-off".
"It's a protest vote this time, those people will come back to the Conservative Party at the general election," he said."It's a protest vote this time, those people will come back to the Conservative Party at the general election," he said.
Thirty-six per cent of the electorate turned out to vote in the by-election, which saw the Conservative party fall to third place after UKIP, the Liberal Democrats in fourth place and the Green Party fifth. Thirty-six per cent of the electorate turned out to vote in the Heywood and Middleton by-election, which saw the Conservative Party fall to third place, the Liberal Democrats to fourth place and the Green Party to fifth.
In 2010, Labour won with 40% of the votes, the Tories came second with 27.09% and the Liberal Democrats third with 22.65%.In 2010, Labour won with 40% of the votes, the Tories came second with 27.09% and the Liberal Democrats third with 22.65%.
UKIP came fifth in the 2010 election, which had a turnout of 57.69%, with 2.63% of the votes.UKIP came fifth in the 2010 election, which had a turnout of 57.69%, with 2.63% of the votes.