Lib Dems slump again as Tories get Labour on the run - 20/02/09


In the Downham Ward By-Election on 19 February, the Lib Dem vote slumped as voters turned to the Conservatives. In the Lib Dems' strongest ward in Lewisham, there was a swing of 9.1% from Lib Dems to the Conservatives compared with May 2006.

The results were:

Conservatives:  25.07%  (up 8.98% since 2006)

Lib Dems:          41.75% (down 9.20% since 2006)

Labour:             25.15%  (down 1.14% since 2006)

With the Labour vote also down in the ward it once held for over 60 years, local Conservatives have further underlined their position as the only credible challengers to Labour rule in Lewisham East. Current opinion polls show that Labour MP Bridget Prentice would lose her seat to the Conservatives at the next General Election.

Commenting on the result, the Conservatives' Parliamentary Candidate for Lewisham East, Jonathan Clamp said:

“I am delighted by the fantastic response that we received from local people on the doorstep. We recorded our best result in Downham for about 20 years, gaining a massive 9.1% swing from the Liberal Democrats in their strongest Ward. In addition, we finished only 1 vote behind Labour; in 2006 the gap was nearly 200 votes. 

"This is yet more evidence that the Conservatives continue to close the gap on Labour and that former Lib Dem supporters are moving to the Conservatives as the only alternative. I now look forward to going head-to-head with Labour at the General Election to make Lewisham East Conservative again.''

If you would like to be part of our campaign to remove this tired and discredited Labour Government, please e-mail us.