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Rochester by-election date set for 20 November | Rochester by-election date set for 20 November |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The by-election caused by the defection of Conservative MP Mark Reckless to UKIP will take place on 20 November. | |
In the Commons, Government Chief Whip Michael Gove moved the writ for the contest to take place in Rochester and Strood, Kent. | In the Commons, Government Chief Whip Michael Gove moved the writ for the contest to take place in Rochester and Strood, Kent. |
Labour has said the by-election should happen earlier. | |
But a Conservative source called this claim "ludicrous", as Parliament had been in recess since before Mr Reckless changed party. | |
This meant that, given the Speaker needs 24 hours' notice once the Commons is sitting before a writ can be moved, it had happened at the earliest possible point, they added. | |
Meanwhile, the Conservatives have narrowed their possible candidates down to a field of two. | Meanwhile, the Conservatives have narrowed their possible candidates down to a field of two. |
They are asking the voters of Rochester and Strood, via a postal ballot, which of its two potential candidates they want to select - marine surveyor Kelly Tolhurst or former barrister Anna Firth. | |
Timings | |
Mr Reckless is contesting the Rochester seat for UKIP. He is hoping to replicate the success of fellow defector Douglas Carswell, who won Clacton in Essex in a by-election last week with a majority of more than 12,000. | Mr Reckless is contesting the Rochester seat for UKIP. He is hoping to replicate the success of fellow defector Douglas Carswell, who won Clacton in Essex in a by-election last week with a majority of more than 12,000. |
This happened on the same day as Labour held on to Heywood and Middleton, Greater Manchester, but UKIP narrowed the party's majority in the seat to just 617. | |
Labour has accused the Conservatives of delaying the election to remove some of the momentum UKIP is enjoying following the success in Clacton. | |
A party source said of the chosen date: "They are going long because they are running scared of the voters." | |
But a Conservative source said: "It's ludicrous to suggest we've delayed the by-election date. We moved the writ as soon as we could and are carrying out a full postal primary which gives every single resident in Rochester and Strood a say on our candidate. This is about as democratic and open as by-elections come. | |
"If anyone's running scared it's Labour who timed their Heywood and Middleton by-election to coincide with the one in Clacton, to rob their opponents of a fair run - and even then they almost lost." | |
Mr Carswell took his Commons seat on Monday for the first time since his win. | |
Mr Reckless won Rochester and Strood with a 9,953 majority at the last general election. | Mr Reckless won Rochester and Strood with a 9,953 majority at the last general election. |