10.10.14
Carswell wins Clacton by-election to become first elected UKIP MP
UKIP has won its first seat at Westminster with the victory of former Conservative MP Douglas Carswell in the Clacton by-election.
Carswell swept to victory in Clacton following a collapse in the Tory vote. He won with 21,113 votes (59.66%) ahead of Conservative candidate Giles Watling on 8,709 votes. The Conservative vote fell from the 53% that Carswell won as a Tory in 2010 to 24.6%. The turnout was 51.2%.
Nigel Farage said his party could now reach into both Labour and Tory heartlands as UKIP also came within 617 votes of capturing the formerly safe Labour seat of Heywood and Middleton in Greater Manchester. Liz McInnes, an NHS scientist and local councillor won the seat with 11,633 votes, a significant decrease from when Jim Dobbin won the 2010 general election with 18,499 votes.
Political pundits and commentators are saying that Carswell’s victory has been a “political earthquake” and that it changes the balance of politics in Britain.
In his victory speech Carswell said: “We must be a party for all Britain and all Britons, first and second generation as much as every other. Our strength must lie in our breadth. If we stay true to that there is nothing we cannot achieve.”
Following the victory Nigel Farage, leader of UKIP, celebrated by drinking beer in a UKIP pub until 4.45am. He declared UKIP were a “national party” and also stated his interest in being minister for Europe. He also predicted further defections.
He said: “Let me just say, I have had these conversations with backbench Conservatives and even had these conversations with backbench Labour MPs. I wouldn’t be surprised over the course of the next few months if there were more defections.”
Responding to the UKIP victory David Cameron said: “What last night demonstrates is that if you see a big UKIP vote, you will end up with Ed Miliband as Prime Minister, Ed Balls as Chancellor and Labour in power.”
(Image: c. Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
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