The Eastleigh by-election, which was the first time the coalition parties went
head-to-head since 2010, was seen as a must win for both Clegg and David
Cameron, with both leaders desperate to show their parties they were
not condemned to lose in 2015.
The election came at a time when Nick Clegg(Deputy prime minister) leadership of his party, without whom the rightist Conservatives cannot govern or pass legislation, faces intense pressure.
Eastleigh has been a Liberal Democrat seat for the best part of 20 years, and the party holds every council ward in the constituency.
Mike Thornton, a local Lib Dem councillor, was elected with 13,342 votes in the Eastleigh By-Election to replace Chris Huhne in parliament.Ukip candidate Diane James secured 11,571 votes, beating Tory Maria Hutchings into third place on 10,559 votes.Eastleigh by-election
The Lib Dems polled 13,342 votes, UKIP 11,571 votes(almost 28 % of the vote, one of their best ever results in a British parliamentary election to date) the Conservatives 10,559 votes and the Labour party 4,088 votes.
Speaking after the result Thornton said he won "because the people of Eastleigh recognised the Lib Dems have always had superb record of delivery"
Diane James, UKIP's candidate, said the result was "a humongous political shock", while Nigel Farage, UKIP's leader, said the result showed Britons were weary of mainstream politics
Grant Shapps, the Conservative party chairman, denied the outcome was "a crisis" for Cameron, saying it was virtually unheard of for a governing party to win a new seat mid-term.
The Eastleigh vote does not truly reflect national sentiment - the opposition Labour party leads in the polls nationally with the Lib Dems trailing in third or fourth place
The election came at a time when Nick Clegg(Deputy prime minister) leadership of his party, without whom the rightist Conservatives cannot govern or pass legislation, faces intense pressure.
Eastleigh has been a Liberal Democrat seat for the best part of 20 years, and the party holds every council ward in the constituency.
Mike Thornton, a local Lib Dem councillor, was elected with 13,342 votes in the Eastleigh By-Election to replace Chris Huhne in parliament.Ukip candidate Diane James secured 11,571 votes, beating Tory Maria Hutchings into third place on 10,559 votes.Eastleigh by-election
Speaking after the result Thornton said he won "because the people of Eastleigh recognised the Lib Dems have always had superb record of delivery"
Diane James, UKIP's candidate, said the result was "a humongous political shock", while Nigel Farage, UKIP's leader, said the result showed Britons were weary of mainstream politics
Grant Shapps, the Conservative party chairman, denied the outcome was "a crisis" for Cameron, saying it was virtually unheard of for a governing party to win a new seat mid-term.
The Eastleigh vote does not truly reflect national sentiment - the opposition Labour party leads in the polls nationally with the Lib Dems trailing in third or fourth place
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