The
Ukip earthquake failed to shake the
Conservatives
out of Newark on Thursday, after Nigel Farage's party was unable
capitalise on its stunning European election success by winning the
parliamentary by-election in the Nottinghamshire constituency. But the
ground did move a bit.
Roger Helmer, Ukip's candidate who currently represents the area as
an MEP, came in second place with 10,028 votes (25.91%). Robert Jenrick,
the Tory candidate, held on to the seat for the Conservatives after
winning 17,431 votes (45.03%). A majority of 7,403 votes.
Ed Miliband's Labour Party candidate came in third place with 6,852
votes (17.68%). The result was another disaster for Nick Clegg, as the
Lib Dem candidate finished a distant sixth with just 1,004 votes
(2.59%). Politicians from both parties suggested a significant number of
their traditional supporters actually chose to tactically vote Tory in
order to keep Ukip out.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage speaks to the press after
Conservative MP Robert Jenrick is announced the winner of the
by-election at Kelham Hall, Newark.
Following his victory, Jenrick said his election had "wider national
significance" as the Conservative Party had not won a by-election in
government since William Hague's election as an MP 25-years ago.
Ukip's failure to win its first Westminster MP will dent the party's
momentum, however it was always a tall order for the party to overturn
the seat's 16,152 Tory majority. Conceding defeat before the result was
formally announced, Farage spun the result as a moral, if not
numerical, victory.
"The people's army are going to be very happy with this result
tonight," he said. "I think this has been a stunning campaign that we've
fought in a very short space of time. We've been up against possibly
the biggest Conservative machine defending about their 40th safest seat
in the country."
Helmer said he had "stood hoping to win and planning to win" but said he was happy to have "halved the Conservative majority".
"That is a great sign for the future of our party and for our
intention to take our party ahead next year to the general election on a
targeted basis," he said.
Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the result in a message on Twitter:
Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg, who favours a Conservative-Ukip
pact in 2015 in order to keep Labour out of power, said while a win for
his party was "good for morale" it would be a mistake to think it meant
the Ukip threat had been dispatched.
"Ukip has become a very powerful force," he told the BBC in the early
hours of Friday morning. "I don't think one by-election, however
cheering that is, allows us to dismiss Ukip for the future."
The Newark by-election was triggered by disgraced ex-Tory Patrick
Mercer's decision to stand down. He quit over what a sleaze watchdog
said was the worst breach of transparency rules it had ever seen.
Farage has faced questions over his decision to to throw himself
fully into the Ukip ground campaign in the last few days of
electioneering. As polls opened at 7am on Thursday, Farage was
hundreds of miles away in Malta at a travel and tourism conference.
By contrast the Conservative Party
threw the kitchen sink at the contest
so as to avoid an embarrassing defeat. Senior Tories including the
prime minister and Boris Johnson visited the town, as did over half of
the party's MPs and thousands of activists.
Farage said David Cameron must have had "a very empty diary" to visit Newark four times.
Story continues below slideshow
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Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 06: Robert Jenrick, the Conservative
candidate for Newark, addresses the audience in Kelham Hall, home to
Newark and Sherwood District Council, after being declared the Member of
Parliament for Newark in the by-election on June 6, 2014 near
Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the constituency of Newark have gone
to the polls in parliamentary by-election brought about by the
resignation of Conservative MP Patrick Mercer who held a majority of
16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 06: Nigel Farage, leader of the UK
Independence Party (UKIP), is interviewed in Kelham Hall, home to Newark
and Sherwood District Council, after the Conservative candidate Robert
Jenrick was declared the Member of Parliament for Newark in the
by-election on June 6, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the
constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 06: Robert Jenrick, the Conservative
candidate for Newark, and his wife Michelle leave Kelham Hall, home to
Newark and Sherwood District Council, are shown after being declared the
member of Parliament for Newark in the by-election on June 6, 2014 near
Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the constituency of Newark have
gone to the polls in parliamentary by-election brought about by the
resignation of Conservative MP Patrick Mercer who held a majority of
16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 06: Robert Jenrick (C), the Conservative
candidate for Newark, addresses the audience in Kelham Hall, home to
Newark and Sherwood District Council, after being declared the Member of
Parliament for Newark in the by-election on June 6, 2014 near
Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the constituency of Newark have gone
to the polls in parliamentary by-election brought about by the
resignation of Conservative MP Patrick Mercer who held a majority of
16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Nigel Farage, leader of the UK
Independence Party (UKIP), is interviewed in Kelham Hall, home to Newark
and Sherwood District Council, as ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted, on June 6, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England.
Voters in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in
parliamentary by-election brought about by the resignation of
Conservative MP Patrick Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by
Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 06: Robert Jenrick, the Conservative
candidate for Newark, and his wife Michelle arrive at Kelham Hall, home
to Newark and Sherwood District Council, as ballot papers cast in the
Newark by-election are counted, on June 6, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent,
England. Voters in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in
parliamentary by-election brought about by the resignation of
Conservative MP Patrick Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by
Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 06: Nigel Farage (C), leader of the UK
Independence Party (UKIP), arrives in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and
Sherwood District Council, as ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted, on June 6, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England.
Voters in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in
parliamentary by-election brought about by the resignation of
Conservative MP Patrick Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by
Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Nigel Farage (C), leader of the UK
Independence Party (UKIP), is greeted by members of the Monster Raving
Loony Party as he arrives in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, as ballot papers cast in the Newark by-election are
counted, on June 6, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the
constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 06: Nigel Farage (C), leader of the UK
Independence Party (UKIP), is greeted by members of the Monster Raving
Loony Party as he arrives in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, as ballot papers cast in the Newark by-election are
counted, on June 6, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the
constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, on June 5, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, on June 5, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Labour Party MP Chris Bryant speaks on
the phone as ballot papers cast in the Newark by-election are counted in
Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood District Council, on June 5,
2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the constituency of Newark
have gone to the polls in parliamentary by-election brought about by
the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick Mercer who held a majority of
16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, on June 5, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, on June 5, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Ballot boxes filled with papers cast in
the Newark by-election are delivered to Kelham Hall, home to Newark and
Sherwood District Council, on June 5, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent,
England. Voters in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in
parliamentary by-election brought about by the resignation of
Conservative MP Patrick Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by
Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, on June 5, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, on June 5, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, on June 5, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Ballot papers cast in the Newark
by-election are counted in Kelham Hall, home to Newark and Sherwood
District Council, on June 5, 2014 near Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark have gone to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Artificial red roses are attached to
the front of a car driven by a supporter of the Labour Party outside
their campaign office for the Newark by-election on June 5, 2014 in
Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the constituency of Newark are
going to the polls in parliamentary by-election brought about by the
resignation of Conservative MP Patrick Mercer who held a majority of
16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Promotional literature for the
Conservative Party is displayed outside their campaign office for the
Newark by-election on June 5, 2014 in Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark are going to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Nigel Farage (R), the leader of the UK
Independence Party (UKIP), poses for a photograph with UKIP candidate
Roger Helmer as he leaves his party's campaign office for the Newark
by-election on June 5, 2014 in Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the
constituency of Newark are going to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: Reverend Dr Dick Rogers (R), a
candidate for 'The Common Good' party, speaks to a voter in the Newark
by-election on June 5, 2014 in Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters in the
constituency of Newark are going to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: A supporter of the UK Independence
Party (UKIP) arranges leaflets outside their campaign office for the
Newark by-election on June 5, 2014 in Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark are going to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
Voters Go To Polls In Newark By-Election
NEWARK
UPON TRENT, ENGLAND - JUNE 05: A supporter of the UK Independence
Party (UKIP) speaks to a voter outside their campaign office for the
Newark by-election on June 5, 2014 in Newark-on-Trent, England. Voters
in the constituency of Newark are going to the polls in parliamentary
by-election brought about by the resignation of Conservative MP Patrick
Mercer who held a majority of 16,000. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty
Images)
When asked what the party would do next, he said: "Wait for the next
by-election which will be, I suspect, if Mr Lansley goes to the European
Commission in Cambridgeshire."
Asked whether he would stand, he said: "I'm really getting bored with
being asked whether I should stand in every single electoral contest
which takes place in this country. Ukip is about a lot more than Nigel
Farage."
"I think there'll be an awful lot of Conservatives with a majority of
less than 10,000 who will look upon this result tonight in sheer
horror."
The third place finish for
Labour candidate Michael Payne will not be encouraging for
Ed Miliband,
considering the party won the seat in 1997. Labour figures have been
quick to point out that boundary changes have since made it safer Tory
territory. But John Curtice, the BBC's election guru and professor of
politics at the University of Strathclyde, said the result was "not a
sign of a party that is making progress but a sign of a party in
retreat".
And the result was a disaster for
Nick Clegg.
The Lib Dem candidate David Watts came in sixth place behind the Greens
and an independent candidate. It was the ninth time party has lost its
deposit in a by-election since 2010.
When asked what the party should change in the next few months, he
said: "What we have to do is get our message across more clearly so much
of what was in the Queen's Speech was Liberal Democrat policy and we're
achieving an awful lot but what we need to do is make sure people
realise that that is what we do."
"This isn't going to happen in 2015 each constituency is different, by-elections are very different to national elections."
Asked whether he still had confidence in Nick Clegg, Watts said:
"Absolutely, Nick's been a brilliant leader. I hope he'll be our leader
for many years to come."
