Principle Centered Conservatism continues to rise in the U.K.
(Via Telegraph) The UK Independence Party has its second MP (Member of Parliament) in the House of Commons after Mark Reckless won the Rochester and Strood by-election.
Mr Reckless, the constituency’s former Conservative MP who defected in September, won with a 2,930 majority after a bitter seven week campaign.
The victory is further evidence that Ukip’s hold on British politics is strengthening after the party won the Clacton by-election last month.
The result is a bitter personal blow for David Cameron, the Prime Minister, who visited the seat five times in five weeks to try to swing it for his candidate Kelly Tolhurst.
Counting in a large gym in Medway Park, Gillingham continued into the early hours of the morning, with the final result announced just after 4am.
In the event, Mr Reckless won with 16,867 votes, ahead of Miss Tolhurst on 13,947 votes.
Labour’s Naushabah Khan was third with 6,713 votes, while the Greens’ Clive Gregory was fourth on 1,692 votes.
The Liberal Democrats’ woes continued, with the party’s candidate Geoff Juby winning just 349 votes.
The LibDem tally was the lowest ever for the party in a by-election and the lowest too by a party which was in Government.
The LibDems’ vote share collapsed by 95 per cent since 2010, from 16.3 per cent to just 0.9 per cent of the vote.
In his victory speech Mr Reckless said: “It is not Ed Miliband but Ukip that represents the concerns of most working men and women.
“As we savour victory, think of this: Rochester and Strood was our 271st most winnable seat. If we can win here we can win across the country.”
Mr Reckless said he wanted to see a “block of Ukip MPs at Westminster large enough to hold the balance of power”.
Arriving at the count Ukip leader Nigel Farage proclaimed that his party was now the third force in British politics. (read more)
In the event, Mr Reckless won with 16,867 votes, ahead of Miss Tolhurst on 13,947 votes.
Labour’s Naushabah Khan was third with 6,713 votes, while the Greens’ Clive Gregory was fourth on 1,692 votes.
The Liberal Democrats’ woes continued, with the party’s candidate Geoff Juby winning just 349 votes.
The LibDem tally was the lowest ever for the party in a by-election and the lowest too by a party which was in Government.
The LibDems’ vote share collapsed by 95 per cent since 2010, from 16.3 per cent to just 0.9 per cent of the vote.
In his victory speech Mr Reckless said: “It is not Ed Miliband but Ukip that represents the concerns of most working men and women.
“As we savour victory, think of this: Rochester and Strood was our 271st most winnable seat. If we can win here we can win across the country.”
Mr Reckless said he wanted to see a “block of Ukip MPs at Westminster large enough to hold the balance of power”.
Arriving at the count Ukip leader Nigel Farage proclaimed that his party was now the third force in British politics. (read more)