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/news/uk-politics-30140747
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| UKIP's Reckless wins Rochester and Strood seat | UKIP's Reckless wins Rochester and Strood seat |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| UKIP has its second elected MP at Westminster after Mark Reckless won the Rochester and Strood by-election. | |
| Mr Reckless received 16,867 votes, 2,920 more than Conservative candidate Kelly Tolhurst's 13,947, with Labour's Naushabah Khan third on 6,713. | |
| The Green Party came fourth, beating the Lib Dems who lost their deposit. | |
| Mr Reckless, whose defection from the Tories to UKIP triggered the contest, said: "If UKIP can win here, we can win across the country." | |
| In his acceptance speech, Mr Reckless said Rochester and Strood had been UKIP's 271st most winnable seat. | In his acceptance speech, Mr Reckless said Rochester and Strood had been UKIP's 271st most winnable seat. |
| In a message to his constituents, he said: "You remain my boss, do not let me forget it." | In a message to his constituents, he said: "You remain my boss, do not let me forget it." |
| In other developments: | |
| Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps said he was disappointed with the result but said there were "different circumstances" in a by-election. | Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps said he was disappointed with the result but said there were "different circumstances" in a by-election. |
| "We will fight every single day to win this seat back," he added. | "We will fight every single day to win this seat back," he added. |
| Analysis | |
| By Norman Smith, BBC assistant political editor | |
| UKIP's victory was in many ways even more impressive than their triumph in Clacton. The ease with which they demolished a 9,000 Tory majority was striking and this after the Conservatives had strained every sinew to halt the UKIP bandwagon. | |
| UKIP now insists no Tory seat is safe and has suggested other Conservative MPs are more likely to defect. | |
| For the Tories the result was not perhaps the meltdown they had feared and certainly there is no indication so far of panic or calls for Mr Cameron to go. | |
| Senior Tories also believe they are poised to win back this seat at the general election. | |
| For Labour not only was their share of the vote almost halved but there was also despair at the damaging tweet by their former shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry, seemingly mocking "white van man". | |
| As for the Lib Dems, not only were they again overhauled by the Greens, but they secured a derisory 349 votes - their lowest total ever. | |
| Analysis: What next for parties? | |
| How unusual is Rochester and Strood? | |
| UKIP also beat the Conservatives at last month's Clacton by-election. | UKIP also beat the Conservatives at last month's Clacton by-election. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron had promised to "throw the kitchen sink" at the Rochester and Strood campaign after the defeat to another former Tory MP, Douglas Carswell, in Clacton. | Prime Minister David Cameron had promised to "throw the kitchen sink" at the Rochester and Strood campaign after the defeat to another former Tory MP, Douglas Carswell, in Clacton. |
| UKIP's winning margin was smaller than it was in Clacton, but Mr Reckless still won 42.1% of the 40,113 votes cast. | UKIP's winning margin was smaller than it was in Clacton, but Mr Reckless still won 42.1% of the 40,113 votes cast. |
| The declaration, at 04:15 GMT, came later than expected. | |
| Green Party candidate Clive Gregory came fourth with 1,692 votes, and the Liberal Democrats came fifth with 349. | |
| Elections expert Prof John Curtice, from Strathclyde University, said UKIP still faced a challenge to convert its by-election success into seats at the general election. | Elections expert Prof John Curtice, from Strathclyde University, said UKIP still faced a challenge to convert its by-election success into seats at the general election. |
| He said: "It's certainly a very good night for UKIP, and makes life much more difficult for the major parties, but the challenge facing UKIP is clear." | He said: "It's certainly a very good night for UKIP, and makes life much more difficult for the major parties, but the challenge facing UKIP is clear." |
| There had been speculation that more MPs would defect to UKIP in the event of a win for Nigel Farage's party. | There had been speculation that more MPs would defect to UKIP in the event of a win for Nigel Farage's party. |
| UKIP deputy chairwoman Suzanne Evans told BBC News: "We will see if anyone else wants to come over," with Mr Reckless claiming two Conservatives had been in talks and Mr Farage saying he had discussions with Labour figures. | UKIP deputy chairwoman Suzanne Evans told BBC News: "We will see if anyone else wants to come over," with Mr Reckless claiming two Conservatives had been in talks and Mr Farage saying he had discussions with Labour figures. |
| Labour was dealt a blow on polling day when shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry resigned from its front bench after being accused of "snobbery" by tweeting a photograph of a Rochester house displaying England flags and with a white van parked outside. | Labour was dealt a blow on polling day when shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry resigned from its front bench after being accused of "snobbery" by tweeting a photograph of a Rochester house displaying England flags and with a white van parked outside. |
| The Islington South and Finsbury MP said it had not been her intention to cause offence and stood down. | The Islington South and Finsbury MP said it had not been her intention to cause offence and stood down. |
| BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said the Conservatives would "take great comfort" at the front pages being dominated by Ms Thornberry's tweet rather than the Tories once again losing to UKIP. | BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said the Conservatives would "take great comfort" at the front pages being dominated by Ms Thornberry's tweet rather than the Tories once again losing to UKIP. |
| Rochester and Strood by-election full results | |
| Mark Reckless (UKIP) 16,867 (42.10%) | |
| Kelly Tolhurst (Conservative) 13,947 (34.81%) | |
| Naushabah Khan (Labour) 6,713 (16.76%) | |
| Clive Gregory (Green) 1,692 (4.22%) | |
| Geoff Juby (Lib Dem) 349 (0.87%) | |
| Hairy Knorm Davidson (Official Monster Raving Loony Party) 151 (0.38%) | |
| Stephen Goldsbrough (Ind) 69 (0.17%) | |
| Nick Long (People Before Profit) 69 (0.17%) | |
| Jayda Fransen (Britain First) 56 (0.14%) | |
| Mike Barker (Ind) 54 (0.13%) | |
| Charlotte Rose (Ind) 43 (0.11%) | |
| Dave Osborn (Patriotic Socialist Party) 33 (0.08%) | |
| Christopher Challis (Ind) 22 (0.05%) |