Lib Dems deliver blow to Labour(Scotland)

[cal04]

The Liberal Democrats have delivered a major blow to Labour by winning the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election.
Willie Rennie overturned a huge Labour majority in a neighbouring constituency to Chancellor Gordon Brown's.
Returning officer Douglas Sinclair declared that Mr Rennie had secured 12,391 of the votes.

Labour's Catherine Stihler received 10,591 votes. The SNP's Douglas Chapman was third with 7,261 votes and Tory Carrie Ruxton secured 2,702 votes. The seat was made vacant following the death of Labour's Rachel Squire in January. At last May's General Election, Ms Squire won the seat for Labour with a majority of more than 11,500.

That was radically overturned by Mr Rennie who secured a 1,800 majority on a 16.24% swing. The turnout was 34,578 voters or 48.69% of the electorate - down by 11.21% on the General Election. The former chief executive of the Scottish Liberal Democrats was elated following the declaration of his victory at the Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline early on Friday morning.

Thanking the voters who backed him, he said: "Tonight they have sent a powerful message to the Labour government that will rock the foundations of Downing Street, Number 10 and Number 11. "Labour has taken the people up and down the country for granted for far too long, too much spin and not enough delivery - it is time that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown both got that message. "This is a sensational victory," said the account director for a firm advising charities and businesses. He claimed the result showed that Lib Dem policies of a fairer, greener, more democratic society meant that the party could win right across the country.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4695270.stm

[freefall]

1. Thanks cal04. It's nice to see good news every now and then. n/t

[Taxloss]

2. This is not good news.

Labour is further to the left than the Lib Dems. Blair may be a swine, but Labour deserves to remain in power.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

9. I think people see the name "Liberal Democrats" and think...

...it actually means what it says.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. It all depends on the individual politicians

I think we'd all agree that Simon Hughes is to the left of Tony Blair, for instance. The Labour candidate for this by election comes over as centrally approved, a young career politician, and thus someone I would expect to be fairly Blairite:

Labour accused of ‘fix’ over candidate

Party bosses sent out a leaflet on behalf of Catherine Stihler’s campaign hours before she was selected to fight the seat.

Local members are angry at what they see as a “stitch-up” to parachute in a female candidate who has the support of Chancellor Gordon Brown.
...
An email sent to Labour MSPs at around 2.30pm contained a campaign flyer that assumed the MEP would win. Stating that the “campaign has already started, we need your help!”, the poster read: “Printed and promoted by Lesley Quinn on behalf of Catherine Stihler.”

Quinn, the party’s general secretary, is supposed to be impartial.

http://www.sundayherald.com/53816

Wikipedia bio

[CHIMO]

3. Lib Dems stun Labour in byelection triumph

The Liberal Democrats were last night celebrating a sensational byelection victory as they overturned an 11,500 majority in what should have been one of Labour's safest seats.

Their triumph in Dunfermline and West Fife not only proved they can fight the government in its heartland, but came as a welcome fillip after months of leadership turmoil. Their shock win - with a 16% swing carrying them to a 1,800 majority - is not just a blow to the government but to Gordon Brown personally.

Mr Rennie is a former chief executive of Scottish Liberal Democrats and an account director for a firm advising charities and businesses. He was runner-up in the Scottish coal-carrying championship.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/libdems/story/0,,1706900,00.html

[LynnTheDem]

4. YES!

YESSSSSSSSS!!!

[northofdenali]

5. Be afraid, Mr. Blair.

Be very afraid.

[Zynx]

6. I've had it with Labour so I hope they collapse badly enough they remember

their principals. Hopefully it will mostly be the Lib Dems gaining from them.

[lovuian]

7. Liberal Democrats are coming on Labour if they don't do anything

about Blair they will the minority party...

[bleedingheart]

11. what is a coal carrying champion?

just curious

[Greeby]

8. While I enjoy watching Labour take a pummeling

Spare a thought for the MP who died. She had been suffering with a second brain tumour for two years, then died of a stroke :(