UK By-Election Results

[Pielstick]

Haven't seen this posted here yet and it's something of a talking point in the UK news right now:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20541136

The UK Independence Party came second in Middlesbrough and Rotherham, and finished third in Croydon North.

In Rotherham, the Lib Dems fell from third place to eighth, behind the BNP, Respect and the English Democrats.

The party got less than 5% of the vote, losing its deposit, in two out of the three contests.

Anyone else here think this reflects a growing voter disaffection with the three big parties?

[calicheSCOT]

No, just a complete and total collapse of support for the Lib Dems.

[General Brittanicus]

Anyone else here think this reflects a growing voter disaffection with the three big parties?

Well I wouldnt say that since Labour won most of them pretty comfortably. Also I do believe most of the areas were safe labour seats anyway were they not, so it's not surprising that the Tories didn't gather many votes there. Having said that though i do find the Lib Dems total collapse rather hilarious. It seems to me that UKIP are just replacing the Lib Dems as the protest vote since the Lib Dems are currently in power.

No, just a complete and total collapse of support for the Lib Dems.

Indeed. I cant remember if it was in that BBC article that i read it, but somewhere it said that an eighth place finish was the worst ever result for one of the 3 major parties and that the previous worst result was a LibDem (by LibDem I mean whatever their predecessor party was called) seventh place finish, which happened shortly before the party disbanded and reformed as the LibDems. I'm thinking they will probably have to change the party name or some such thing (at the very least get rid of Nick Clegg) if they want to get rid of the reputation they currently have.

[Menelik_I]

UKIP is becoming the Third Party, if all goes well they will route the LibDems in the next general election and be first at the next Europarl election.

The biggest question is what the Tories are going to do about this, with David Cameron being the obstacle here.

Either UKIP spoil the Tory vote or gain seats to become the next coalition partners, in both cases David Cameron has to be discarded for mismanagement of the Eurosceptic question

[removeduser_487563287433]

Anyone else here think this reflects a growing voter disaffection with the three big parties?

Nope. The results show rankings exactly the same as the last election. It's ing Rotherham, man, not exactly the hot bed of political sophistication.

[Bobz]

The Lib Dems frankly dug their own graves going into coalition with the Tories. Nick Clegg had a lot of momentum going into the last election, but he's now thrown it all away by caving on pretty much everything he stood for. I actually wouldn't be surprised if UKIP pick up a seat or two next time around, or maybe some of the more anti-EU Tory MPs change parties.

[Aymer de Valence]

Good result. Proof that people are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the 'Main 3' parties in Britain, although that term is now outdated. The more the North sees sense and votes for the right, the sooner we shall see the left's strength in British politics completely shattered.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Why do you say "increasingly", when Labour has convincingly won all by-elections, increasing its share of the vote in all constituencies? Doesn't that suggest support for mainstream parties is fairly typical?

[Aymer de Valence]

Why do you say "increasingly", when Labour has convincingly won all by-elections, increasing its share of the vote in all constituencies? Doesn't that suggest support for mainstream parties is fairly typical?

1. Because people hate the Conservatives at the moment because they are making it harder for poor people to continue living off the state.............................

2. Because it's the North. People there would vote for a chimp in a red rosette if it stood for the Labour Party.

A huge rise in UKIP's support has been witnessed, and when people predictably get disillusioned with Labour again for the millionth time, that will be UKIP's chance to hit the top spot.

[removeduser_487563287433]

2. Because it's the North. People there would vote for a chimp in a red rosette if it stood for the Labour Party.

So... the unmoved power of one of the mainstream parties equates to people being "increasing disillusioned" with the mainstream parties?

You do not make any sense.

[Jom]

1. Because people hate the Conservatives at the moment because they are making it harder for poor people to continue living off the state.............................

2. Because it's the North. People there would vote for a chimp in a red rosette if it stood for the Labour Party.

A huge rise in UKIP's support has been witnessed, and when people predictably get disillusioned with Labour again for the millionth time, that will be UKIP's chance to hit the top spot.

UKIP is yet to obtain a single seat in parliament. It's ridiculous to think they're suddenly going to take Westminster by a landslide come 2015 or 2020.

[King Gambrinus]

Amazed the BNP came ahead of the LibDems in one of them. Clegg should collapse the government if he wants to retain any kind of bargaining power, because I predict a hung parliament no matter what...

[Father Jack]

Amazed the BNP came ahead of the LibDems in one of them.

Not that amazing. Northern England has always been a bit of a stronghold for far right parties and they have always done better there then how they normally do in the rest of the UK. North-West England voted Nick Griffin as an MEP for example.

[CrayonVonCaesar]

The only thing that baffles me is that people are still voting for labour. 13 years of incompetency and wrecking was clearly not enough for some folk.

Good to see UKIP on the rise and great to see the lib dems plummet.

[Father Jack]

The only thing that baffles me is that people are still voting for labour. 13 years of incompetency and wrecking was clearly not enough for some folk.

I think many people often vote for a party because they have always voted for them. It has developed into a family tradition. So people from working class backgrounds may have a family tradition of always voting for Labour not matter what because Labour was traditionally the party for the working classes.

[General Brittanicus]

UKIP certainly wont be bigger than the Tories in the uk parliament by the time of the next election, but they will be a major reason for Camerons loss of the election. Theres a good chance that they will be the biggest UK party in Brussels next election though.

The only thing that baffles me is that people are still voting for labour. 13 years of incompetency and wrecking was clearly not enough for some folk.

Good to see UKIP on the rise and great to see the lib dems plummet.

Your being a bit generous to the labour party there - you should look at all the governments they had pre thatcher as well - its much more than 13 years. Unfortunately most of the population loves all the extra handouts and overspending that a labour government generally brings with them, so they will always gather large numbers of votes.

[Comrade_Rory]

Rotherham is the next town over from me... bloody Rotherham.
It must be one of the worst places in the world and the only place I've ever felt threatened in while walking through it in the middle of a busy Saturday. Screw their vote.

[Stavroforos]

When is the next federal election, or whatever it is you call it?

[Poach]

2015, I believe. General Election.

[Stavroforos]

2015, I believe. General Election.

Ah. Well, it will be interesting to see if a swing towards the right takes place by then, though I'd like to think that Brits aren't that silly.