Originally posted by Wikinews. Wikinews content appears under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 license except where specified. As these articles are static snapshots of news items that may be later updated, they may not represent the latest or final revision of that article, and posted information may be only preliminary. Liberal Democrats hold onto Eastleigh in by-election as UKIP vote soars ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 3, 2013 Original URL: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Liberal_Democrats_hold_onto_Eastleigh_in_by-election_as_UKIP_vote_soars <!--I am aware that there are a lot of sources - please note that the majority are just for backing up quotes from people and this is indicated otherwise all information from the first two listed sources by BBC News Online and Sky News--> The Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Thornton won the Eastleigh, United Kingdom parliamentary by-election on Thursday with a slim majority of 1,771 votes, with the Conservative Party finishing in third place after a voting surge for the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) who finished in second. Thornton, who lives in Bishopstoke and has been a local councillor since 2007, <!-- see article "Mike Thornton Liberal Democrats"-->said in his victory speech<!--see Bournemouth Echo article: UKIP beat Tories into third in Eastleigh as Li B Dems keep the seat - "In his victory speech he told the crowd: "we can do it, we have done it and we will do it again.""-->, "The people of Eastleigh recognise that the Liberal Democrats have always had a superb record of delivery, we've always listened to what people want, and we always make sure that we do a good job." Leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg celebrated with Mike Thornton and party supporters; in a statement he said: "We held our nerve, we stood our ground. We overcame the odds and won a stunning victory". At the last general election in 2010, Liberal Democrats won with 46.5% of the vote, holding a 3,864-vote majority over the Conservative Party, who gained 39.3%,<!--please see BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Eastleigh source--> and the constituency has been in the Liberal Democrats' control since another by-election in 1994. The party's share of the vote dropped by 14.4% as UKIP posted their best-ever election results. <!-- see BBC News Online article:Eastleigh by-election: Lib Dems hold on despite UKIP surge --> . UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said that after their success in the by-election they will "take the tremor that [they] have created at Eastleigh and turn it into a national political earthquake" in the European Parliament election in 2014.<!--please see the Telegraph article for source--> Farage said of Prime Minister David Cameron, "He's talking about gay marriage, wind turbines, unlimited immigration from India. He wants Turkey to join the European Union. The Conservatives' problems are not because of UKIP, it's because of their leader".<!--Sky News article--> Grant Shapps, the Conservative Party chairman, said "We'll be fighting the next election providing a clear choice between David Cameron as PM or Labour Party leader] Ed Miliband."<!-- see the Welwyn Hatfield Times 24 for source--> David Cameron played down suggestions that UKIP pose a big threat to the Conservative Party at the 2015 General Election. He said, "It is a disappointing result for the Conservative Party, but it is clear that, in mid-term by-elections, people want to register a protest".<!--please see the second listed BBC news article - Eastleigh by-election: Cameron vows to 'win people back'--> The Labour candidate John O'Farrell ended up fourth with 9.82% of the vote. Ed Miliband responded by saying, "Clearly I would have preferred to get more votes but this was always going to be a tough fight for Labour". <!--please see the BBC article: Eastleigh by-election: Miliband says Labour 'can do better' after fourth place for the quotes--> Chris Huhne, the former Secretary of State for Energy, triggered the election when he resigned as the after admitting perverting the course of justice by asking his wife to take speeding penalty points for him in 2003.<!-- see the Guardian article for this--> == Sister links == == Sources == * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21625726 * http://news.sky.com/story/1058520/eastleigh-lib-dems-win-tories-fall-to-third * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21635118 * http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/9902332/Ukip-leader-Nigel-Farage-vows-to-create-earthquake-in-British-politics.html * http://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/grant_shapps_ukip_are_no_threat_to_a_tory_majority_in_2015_despite_eastleigh_result_1_1962593 * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21630472 * http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10260862.UKIP_beat_Tories_into_third_in_Eastleigh_as_LiB_Dems_keep_the_seat/?ref=rss * http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/politics/elections/eastleigh_2013/news/10248560.Mike_Thornton_Liberal_Domcrats/ * http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/04/chris-huhne-facing-jail-justice * http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/b57.stm Election 2010 Constituency Eastleigh |pub=BBC News Online |date=March 3, 2013 (date of access) }}