Sensational Liberal Democrat Victory Shows Labour the Way!

10.09.29am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 10th Feb 2006

The Liberal Democrats have won a stunning victory in the Dunfermline Parliamentary By-Election, which saw the party overturn an 11,500 Labour majority to win by 1,800 votes in what should have been one of Labour's safest seats. The Tories came a poor fourth.

Commenting on the result, Manchester Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Simon Ashley said:

"This is a shattering blow for Labour, and a fantastic result for the Lib Dems. Voters have elected the 63rd Lib Dem MP, with a vote of no-confidence in Labour. It goes to show once again that in many parts of the UK, Liberal Democrats are the only challengers to Tony Blair & Gordon Brown. Here in Manchester there is a Liberal Democrat MP and 38 Councillors, and we hope to have even more after this year's local elections."

End

Notes to Editors:

Result:

Liberal Democrats 12,391 35.8% +15.6

Labour 10,591 30.6% -16.8

SNP 7,261 21.0% + 2.1

Conservative 2,702 7.8% - 2.5

Swing from Labour to Lib Dems 16.2%

Swing from Conservative to Lib Dems 9.1%

Swing from SNP to Lib Dems 6.8%

The new MP Willie Rennie said:

"I would like to thank the people of Dunfermline and West Fife for the trust that they have shown in me personally - and in the Liberal Democrats."

"Tonight they have sent a powerful message to the Labour Government that will rock the foundations of Downing Street - both number 10 and number 11. It is time that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown both got that message."

"This is a sensational victory. The Liberal Democrats have shown that we are the clear challengers to Labour in their heartlands."

This was also David Cameron's first real electoral test as Conservative Party Leader. The drop in Conservative support was greater than the average drop that they have suffered since 1997.

"The Liberal Democrats have delivered a hammer blow to Labour" - BBC

"Lib Dems pull off stunning victory in Brown's backyard" - The Times

"The party's astonishing win ... is surely the most famous victory of them all" - The Guardian