Cheadle by-election result shows Tories still unable to make progress (Andrew Simpson)

Cheadle by-election result shows Tories still unable to make progress

July 15, 2005 10:00 PM

Lib Dems win Cheadle By-election

Andrew Simpson Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson for Northampton North has hailed the Lib Dem victory in the Cheadle by-election as further evidence that the Conservatives are not making real progress as a credible opposition party.

"In Northampton North at the election the Conservative candidate barely increased the Tories vote - just 0.4% or 300 votes more than last time, while the Lib Dem vote went up by nearly 7% or 3,000 votes." said Andrew "Cheadle used to be a safe Conservative seat before Patsy Calton won it for the Lib Dems in 2001and this result proves that people not only appreciated her good work but when given a choice between the Conservatives and Lib Dems they back the Lib Dems".

The Liberal Democrats saw off the Tories in the Cheadle with a majority of almost 4,000, despite a bitterly-fought contest. Activists from both parties had warned that the result in the affluent Cheshire seat would be so close it could be decided by hundreds of votes. But Mark Hunter, the Lib Dem leader of Stockport council, came close to matching the majority of the late MP Patsy Calton by winning 19,593 votes, while Cheadle's former Tory MP Stephen Day polled 15,936. Labour faced embarrassment as its candidate, Martin Miller, lost his deposit.