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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| UKIP's Reckless wins Rochester and Strood seat | UKIP's Reckless wins Rochester and Strood seat |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| UKIP has its second elected MP at Westminster after Mark Reckless won the Rochester and Strood by-election. | UKIP has its second elected MP at Westminster after Mark Reckless won the Rochester and Strood by-election. |
| Mr Reckless took 16,867 votes, 2,920 more than Conservative Kelly Tolhurst's 13,947, with Labour's Naushabah Khan on 6,713 - ahead of the Green Party. | Mr Reckless took 16,867 votes, 2,920 more than Conservative Kelly Tolhurst's 13,947, with Labour's Naushabah Khan on 6,713 - ahead of the Green Party. |
| The Lib Dems came fifth with their lowest vote total in a by-election. | The Lib Dems came fifth with their lowest vote total in a by-election. |
| Mr Reckless, whose defection from the Tories to UKIP triggered the contest in Kent, travelled soon after to London to take his seat in Parliament. | |
| As he was sworn in at the House of Commons, he was flanked by UKIP's other MP Douglas Carswell, another former Conservative who won a by-election last month. | |
| He told the BBC that his constituents expected him "to get back to work". | |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| In his acceptance speech on Friday morning, Mr Reckless said Rochester and Strood had been UKIP's 271st most winnable seat and "if UKIP can win here, we can win across the country". | |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said UKIP had proved it could take on and defeat the entire Conservative Party machine. | |
| But he said it was "extremely unlikely" that any further Conservative MPs would defect in the short term, wary of having to fight by-election so close to a general election. | But he said it was "extremely unlikely" that any further Conservative MPs would defect in the short term, wary of having to fight by-election so close to a general election. |
| Election choice | Election choice |
| Conservative Leader of the House of Commons, William Hague, said the result had been closer than anticipated and his party's vote had "improved and strengthened during the campaign". | Conservative Leader of the House of Commons, William Hague, said the result had been closer than anticipated and his party's vote had "improved and strengthened during the campaign". |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that there was "every prospect" that it could regain the seat in the general election. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that there was "every prospect" that it could regain the seat in the general election. |
| In May, he added, voters would face a "real choice about the future of the country" and if Nigel Farage's party continued to take votes from the Tories, there was a danger that Ed Miliband would "sneak into Downing Street by default". | In May, he added, voters would face a "real choice about the future of the country" and if Nigel Farage's party continued to take votes from the Tories, there was a danger that Ed Miliband would "sneak into Downing Street by default". |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage denied the result was simply a protest vote against the government, or that voters would return to the larger parties in the general election. | UKIP leader Nigel Farage denied the result was simply a protest vote against the government, or that voters would return to the larger parties in the general election. |
| He said the message of Rochester and Strood was: "If you vote UKIP, you get UKIP" and "people out there who vote UKIP intend to stay UKIP". | He said the message of Rochester and Strood was: "If you vote UKIP, you get UKIP" and "people out there who vote UKIP intend to stay UKIP". |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Norman Smith, BBC assistant political editor | 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'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. | 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. | 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. | 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". | 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. | 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? | Analysis: What next for parties? |
| How unusual is Rochester and Strood? | 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 votes cast. | UKIP's winning margin was smaller than it was in Clacton, but Mr Reckless still won 42.1% of the votes cast. |
| Green Party candidate Clive Gregory came fourth with 1,692 votes, and the Liberal Democrats came fifth with 349. | 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. |
| On Thursday evening Conservative Chief Whip Michael Gove said he was "100% sure" no more Tory MPs would defect to UKIP. | On Thursday evening Conservative Chief Whip Michael Gove said he was "100% sure" no more Tory MPs would defect to UKIP. |
| The Conservative MP for Peterborough, Stewart Jackson, tweeted on Thursday: "Any Tory MP who defects to UKIP on the basis of the result in Rochester and Strood (whatever it is) would frankly be completely insane." | The Conservative MP for Peterborough, Stewart Jackson, tweeted on Thursday: "Any Tory MP who defects to UKIP on the basis of the result in Rochester and Strood (whatever it is) would frankly be completely insane." |
| 'Snobbery' | 'Snobbery' |
| 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. |
| On Friday, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said Labour leader Ed Miliband "did not hold back in making clear how angry he was" about the tweet. | On Friday, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said Labour leader Ed Miliband "did not hold back in making clear how angry he was" about the tweet. |
| He told the BBC that politicians could not take "any voter, community or class for granted" and must treat the public with a "deep and fundamental respect". | He told the BBC that politicians could not take "any voter, community or class for granted" and must treat the public with a "deep and fundamental respect". |
| Mr Farage was asked on the Today programme if Ms Thornberry's rapid resignation showed Labour were "learning the lessons" of the last few months, and were going to make in-roads into the UKIP vote. | Mr Farage was asked on the Today programme if Ms Thornberry's rapid resignation showed Labour were "learning the lessons" of the last few months, and were going to make in-roads into the UKIP vote. |
| The UKIP leader said: "I doubt they can make those in-roads under this leader." | The UKIP leader said: "I doubt they can make those in-roads under this leader." |
| Rochester and Strood by-election full results | Rochester and Strood by-election full results |
| Mark Reckless (UKIP) 16,867 (42.10%) | Mark Reckless (UKIP) 16,867 (42.10%) |
| Kelly Tolhurst (Conservative) 13,947 (34.81%) | Kelly Tolhurst (Conservative) 13,947 (34.81%) |
| Naushabah Khan (Labour) 6,713 (16.76%) | Naushabah Khan (Labour) 6,713 (16.76%) |
| Clive Gregory (Green) 1,692 (4.22%) | Clive Gregory (Green) 1,692 (4.22%) |
| Geoff Juby (Lib Dem) 349 (0.87%) | Geoff Juby (Lib Dem) 349 (0.87%) |
| Hairy Knorm Davidson (Official Monster Raving Loony Party) 151 (0.38%) | Hairy Knorm Davidson (Official Monster Raving Loony Party) 151 (0.38%) |
| Stephen Goldsbrough (Ind) 69 (0.17%) | Stephen Goldsbrough (Ind) 69 (0.17%) |
| Nick Long (People Before Profit) 69 (0.17%) | Nick Long (People Before Profit) 69 (0.17%) |
| Jayda Fransen (Britain First) 56 (0.14%) | Jayda Fransen (Britain First) 56 (0.14%) |
| Mike Barker (Ind) 54 (0.13%) | Mike Barker (Ind) 54 (0.13%) |
| Charlotte Rose (Ind) 43 (0.11%) | Charlotte Rose (Ind) 43 (0.11%) |
| Dave Osborn (Patriotic Socialist Party) 33 (0.08%) | Dave Osborn (Patriotic Socialist Party) 33 (0.08%) |
| Christopher Challis (Ind) 22 (0.05%) | Christopher Challis (Ind) 22 (0.05%) |