Swing to Conservatives as Lib Dems scrape home in Whitefoot - 14/09/07

The Whitefoot Ward by-election on Thursday 13th September saw Conservative Candidate Tom Philpott help reduce the Lib Dem majority in the Ward to just 84 votes, in a tough three way fight.

The Conservative's saw their share of the vote rise sharply and there was swing to Conservatives from the Lib Dems of 4.6%.

This result, which saw the Lib Dems just cling on to one of their safest seats in the Borough, completely refuted repeated Lib Dem claims that Conservative voters were switching to the Lib Dem's in Whitefoot.

Conservative Tom Philpott, commenting on the result said:

'I am delighted with the great response I have received from the people of Whitefoot and this further strengthening of the Conservative vote in Lewisham.

This result has underlined that it is Conservatives who remain the Party best able to defeat Labour at the next election - indeed, but for the collapse in the Green vote the Lib Dems would have lost this seat to Labour and a discredited Labour regime in Lewisham would then have been boosted.

I look forward to working with the people of Whitefoot again in the future - never again will local people swallow Lib Dem lies about the 'collapse of the Conservative vote' - it is the Lib Dems in Lewisham who are seeing their fortunes crumble under the inept leadership of Ming Campbell and we look forward to challenging Labour vigorously at the General Election while the Lib Dems contemplate the future from their traditional third place.