2014 Rochester and Strood by-election

United Kingdom by-election December 2019 September 2016 2014 Rochester and Strood by-election parliamentary United Kingdom Rochester and Strood constituency no 2010 United Kingdom general election 2010 2015 United Kingdom general election 2015 2014 11 20 y 50.6% Mark Reckless x160px UK Independence Party 16,867 42.1% New party Kelly Tolhurst x160px Conservative Party (UK) 13,947 34.8% 14.4 pp Naushabah Khan x160px Labour Party (UK) 6,713 16.8% 11.7 pp MP Subsequent MP Mark Reckless Conservative Party (UK) Mark Reckless UK Independence Party A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Rochester and Strood was held on 20 November 2014. Incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Mark Reckless defected from the Conservative Party to the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and resigned his seat to recontest it under his new affiliation. Reckless retained the seat, polling 42.1% of the vote. The Conservative Party came second with 34.8%, and Labour third with 16.8%. The other ten candidates lost their deposits, including the Liberal Democrats whose 0.87% vote share was a record low for them, and the lowest ever for a party in government. This was the twenty-first and final by-election of the 2010–2015 parliament. Background The constituency comprised the cathedral town of Rochester, Strood, parts of Chatham, Brompton, St Mary's Island as well as the rural Hoo Peninsula and outlying villages.http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm70/7032/7032_iv.pdf 2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England 1 February 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20131003090741/http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm70/7032/7032_iv.pdf 3 October 2013 dead Reckless's announcement followed that of his parliamentary colleague and close friend,https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-29395030 BBC News – Conservative MP Mark Reckless defects to UKIP BBC News 27 October 2014https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29396883 BBC News – Mark Reckless's journey from Tory rebel to UKIP recruit BBC News 27 October 2014 Douglas Carswell, who defected to UKIP on 28 August 2014, resigning and subsequently being returned as MP for Clacton, in north Essex.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29029022 Clacton by-election to be held on 9 October BBC News 27 October 2014 On 27 September, at the UK Independence Party (UKIP) Annual Conference at Doncaster, which coincided with the eve of the Conservative Party Annual Conference, Reckless announced his plans to follow suit.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29394697 Mark Reckless defects to UKIP from Tories BBC News 27 September 2014 27 September 2014 Carswell won the Clacton by-election (on 9 October 2014) with 59.7% of the vote.McSmith Andy Douglas Carswell becomes Ukip's first ever elected MP after a sensational victory https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clacton-byelection-douglas-carswell-becomes-ukips-first-elected-mp-after-sensational-victory-9786271.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clacton-byelection-douglas-carswell-becomes-ukips-first-elected-mp-after-sensational-victory-9786271.html 1 May 2022 subscription The Independent 10 October 2014 Reckless had previously been recognised as one of the most malcontent Conservatives in the House of Commons, having led a rebellion of 53 Conservative MPs over the Budget of the European Union which inflicted the first Commons defeat on the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government.Cameron Commons Defeat on EU Budget 31 October 2012 Candidates Medway Council, who administered the election, published the statement of persons nominated on 24 October, confirming 13 candidates would contest the by-election.http://www.medway.gov.uk/pdf/Statement%20of%20Persons%20Nominated%20and%20notice%20of%20poll%20.pdf Statement of Persons Nominated/Notice of Poll 1 February 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20141025191935/http://www.medway.gov.uk/pdf/Statement%20of%20Persons%20Nominated%20and%20notice%20of%20poll%20.pdf 25 October 2014 dead Mark Reckless was the UKIP parliamentary candidate. The Conservative Party fielded Kelly Tolhursthttps://democracy.medway.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=679 www.medway.gov.uk as its candidatehttps://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/23/rochester-byelection-tories-select-local-businesswoman-kelly-tolhurst Rochester byelection: Tories select local businesswoman Kelly Tolhurst The Guardian 27 October 2014https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/byelection/11167643/Rochester-and-Strood-by-election-sketch-brPlease-ladies-dont-be-Reckless.html www.telegraph.co.uk 16 October 2014 Telegraph.co.uk selected by a postal open primary;All voters to get a chance to have a say in choosing Tory candidate KentOnline Anna Firth was the other candidate, and both were serving Councillors: (Tolhurst representing Rochester West Ward on Medway Council, and Firth representing Brasted, Chevening & Sundridge Ward on Sevenoaks Council). The result of the primary was announced on 23 October, with Tolhurst winning narrowly with 50.44% of the vote. The Conservative Party reported that 5,688 voters took part in the selection process.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-29748439 BBC News – Conservatives choose Kelly Tolhurst as Rochester and Strood candidate BBC News 27 October 2014 The Labour candidate, PR consultant and kickboxer Naushabah Khan, was selected in November 2013.http://www.mhpc.com/election2015/candidates/naushabah-khan/ https://archive.today/20141126020114/http://www.mhpc.com/election2015/candidates/naushabah-khan/ dead 26 November 2014 www.mhpc.comContacts https://web.archive.org/web/20141006071413/http://www.medwaylabour.org.uk/contacts/ 6 October 2014 Medway CLPPR consultant and keen kickboxer Naushabah Khan selected as Labour party candidate in Rochester and Strood KentOnLine The Liberal Democrat candidate was Geoff Juby, a Medway Councillor who contested unsuccessfully the General elections of 2001, 2005 and 2010.Lib Dems choose candidate https://web.archive.org/web/20141008174932/http://www.maidstoneandmedwaynews.co.uk/Rochester-Strood-election-Lib-Dems-choose/story-23046428-detail/story.html 8 October 2014 Maidstone and Medway News The Green Party candidate was Clive Gregory.Rochester and Strood by-election candidate https://web.archive.org/web/20160223161056/http://kentgreenparty.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/rochester-and-strood-by-election.html 23 February 2016 Kent Green Party His name was listed on the ballot as "Green Party – Say No To Racism". Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First,Jayda Fransen voted in as Deputy Leader https://www.britainfirst.org/jayda-fransen-voted-deputy-leader-standing-committee/ Britain First 8 November 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141108060725/https://www.britainfirst.org/jayda-fransen-voted-deputy-leader-standing-committee/ 8 November 2014 dead dmy-all stood as her party's first parliamentary candidate.Francis Paul George Osborne, Theresa May and Chris Grayling to visit Rochester and Strood ahead of by-election caused by Mark Reckless' defection to Ukip https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/top-tories-to-hit-campaign-25513/ 24 October 2014 Kent Online 18 October 2014 Her name appeared on the ballot with the description "Vote British!" Hairy Knorm Davidson stood for the Monster Raving Loony Party, Nick Long for the Lewisham-based People Before Profit, and Dave Osborn for the Patriotic Socialist Party. Four independent candidates also declared their candidature: Mike Barker, Christopher "JustQCharley" Challis, Stephen Goldsbrough, and Charlotte Rose. Barker was a former scientist at the Ministry of Defence whose campaign focussed of making the Richard Montgomery safe.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30094244 Rochester and Strood by-election: Campaign in final stages BBC News 18 November 2014 Rose had stood in October's Clacton by-election in Essex, describing herself as "standing up for sexual freedom".Rochester by-election http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/rochesterbyelection/ UK Polling 26 October 2014 Result The results were declared at 04:15 UTC on Friday, 21 November 2014. Reckless retained the seat (winning with his new party) with 16,867 votes, a majority of 2,920, with just over 42% of the vote (he received 49.2% of the vote as the Conservative candidate in 2010). This was the second highest UKIP vote share in a parliamentary election after the contest in Clacton the previous month, and represents a swing of 28.3% from Conservative to UKIP. (For a comparison with other high swings, see United Kingdom by-election records). The Conservatives came second, with their share of the vote decreasing by 14.4 percentage points compared with the 2010 general election, and Labour's share decreased by 11.7 points. The 4.2% polled by the Green Party was their best result since the 2010 general election, while the Liberal Democrats recorded their lowest vote share since their founding in 1988. It was also lower than any of their Liberal predecessors had polled since the First World War.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30140747 BBC News – Rochester: Farage looks to more UKIP gains after success BBC News Rochester and Strood by-election, 20 November 2014https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/11244748/Mark-Reckless-of-Ukip-wins-Rochester-by-election-with-2900-majority.html Mark Reckless wins Rochester by-election for Ukip with 2,900 majority 21 November 2014 Telegraph.co.uk 21 November 2014UKIP's Reckless wins Rochester seat https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30140747 BBC News BBC 21 November 2014 UK Independence Party Mark Reckless 16,867 42.1 New Conservative Party (UK) Kelly Tolhurst 13,947 34.8 14.4 Labour Party (UK) Naushabah Khan 6,713 16.8 11.7 Green Party of England and Wales Clive Gregory 1,692 4.2 2.7 Liberal Democrats (UK) Geoff Juby 349 0.9 15.5 Official Monster Raving Loony Party Hairy Knorm Davidson 151 0.4 New Independent Stephen Goldsbrough 69 0.2 New Lewisham People Before Profit Nick Long 69 0.2 New Britain First Jayda Fransen 56 0.1 New Independent politician Mike Barker 54 0.1 New Independent Charlotte Rose 43 0.1 New Patriotic Socialist Party Dave Osborn 33 0.1 New Independent Christopher Challis 22 0.1 New 2,920 7.3 N/A 40,065 50.6 14.3 UK Independence Party Conservative Party (UK) 28.3 Campaign The election was widely regarded as a key contest between UKIP and the Conservative Party.http://may2015.com/featured/rochester-strood-madness-in-medway-as-reckless-reigns/ www.may2015.com May 2015: UK Election Guide The Conservatives, being in Government and previous holders of the seat opted for a later electionNHS Demands Mark Reckless Withdraw 'Misleading' Ukip Leaflet http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11/10/ukip-nhs-mark-reckless-complaint-letter_n_6132292.html 11 November 2014 Huffington Post 10 November 2014 giving time for a longer campaign and to select its candidate by a local primary. There was discussion over whether the costs of the primary should be entered under the party's permitted election expense allowance, as UKIP argued, or not, as the Conservatives argued.https://blogs.channel4.com/michael-crick-on-politics/lawyers-judges-overturn-tory-victory-rochester/4541 Judges could overturn a Tory victory in Rochester, lawyers say – Michael Crick on Politics – Michael Crick on Politics 27 October 2014 The election agent for Mark Reckless was Chris Irvine who was himself a Conservative Councillor on Medway Council representing Peninsula Ward at the time of Mark Reckless defecting. Irvine promptly resigned as a Conservative Party member Medway councillor Chris Irvine leaves Tories after Rochester and Strood Mark Reckless defects to UKIP https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/tory-councillor-leaves-party-24226/ 2014-09-29 live https://web.archive.org/web/20200907185904/https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/tory-councillor-leaves-party-24226/ 2020-09-07 on the news of the Reckless defection and sat as an independent councillor citing Medway Council's decision to approve planning permission to develop Lodge Hill as his primary reason for leaving. Irvine would subsequently resign his seat on Medway Council I've Resigned From Medway Council To Give You A Say On Lodge Hill https://chrisirvine.wordpress.com/2014/10/16/ive-resigned-from-medway-council-to-give-you-a-say-on-lodge-hill/ 2014-10-16 usurped https://web.archive.org/web/20141021175341/https://chrisirvine.wordpress.com/2014/10/16/ive-resigned-from-medway-council-to-give-you-a-say-on-lodge-hill/ 2014-10-21 after joining UKIP to force a further local by-election in Peninsula ward to be held on the same day as the Parliamentary by-election. Irvine would become the first elected UKIP Councillor on Medway Council, taking just under 50% of the vote. Michael Crick, of Channel 4 News, reported that the Labour Party was conducting a "token effort", because according to party sources, Labour claimed not to be able to afford a full electoral campaign.https://blogs.channel4.com/michael-crick-on-politics/labour-rochester/4459 Why isn't Labour going for Rochester? – Michael Crick on Politics – Michael Crick on Politics 27 October 2014 Rochester and Strood's predecessor seat, Medway, had been held for Labour by Bob Marshall-Andrews between 1997 and 2010. Marshall-Andrews had been elected despite his very different stance on immigration, telling a voter during the 2001 election campaign: "The difference between you and me is that you are a racist and I am not. [... ] And under no circumstances are you allowed to vote for me. You will not vote for me!"Hoggart Simon Come on, then! Vote for me if you think you're hard enough https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/may/21/election2001.politicalcolumnists 19 November 2014 The Guardian London 21 May 2001 The Royal Mail refused to distribute leaflets on behalf of Britain First, judging them to be in breach of laws regarding the sending of threatening mail.Britain First Rochester election mail leaflet dubbed illegal https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-29858335 1 November 2014 BBC News 31 October 2014 The Conservative party have paid a fine without question to the Electoral Commission for misrepresenting their campaign expenditure in their financial returns.Tory election expenses – new claims from party activists https://www.channel4.com/news/tory-election-expenses-new-claims-from-party-activists 4 April 2017 Channel 4 News 24 February 2016Tory expenses 'failures': What you need to know http://www.itv.com/news/2017-03-16/tory-expenses-failures-what-you-need-to-know/ 4 April 2017 ITV News 16 March 2017 en Reckless produced a leaflet attacking the Conservatives for failing NHS patients, featuring a picture of him (taken when he was a Conservative MP) with Dr Phillip Barnes, Acting Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust.http://www.medway.nhs.uk/about-the-trust/board-of-directors/phil-barnesphil-barnes/ www.medway.nhs.uk 19 November 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141129015628/http://www.medway.nhs.uk/about-the-trust/board-of-directors/phil-barnesphil-barnes/ 29 November 2014 dead The Trust's chair, Shena Winning, complained to UKIP, pointing out that public bodies cannot be associated with any politically biased information that could be seen to give any party an electoral advantage and that he had not asked permission to use the picture. Winning requested the leaflet be withdrawn and a public retraction issued. At a hustings meeting on 18 November, televised by ITV Meridian, Reckless gave an answer to a question from the floor in which he appeared to suggest that EU migrants could, in future, be subject to deportation. UKIP leader Nigel Farage dismissed the remarks as a "minor confusion"; UKIP added it was not "the party’s policy to round up migrants and put them on a boat at Dover". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-30121947 UKIP's Nigel Farage dismisses Mark Reckless migrant row 19 November 2014 BBC News 19 November 2014Rowena Mason Mark Reckless sparks immigration row on eve of Rochester byelection The Guardian London https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/19/mark-reckless-immigration-row-rochester-byelection 19 November 2014 19 November 2014 The by-election was dubbed 'The Battle for Rochester' following the media storm surrounding the defection of Douglas Carswell to UKIP in August 2014.https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/evening-standard-comment-bankers-europe-and-the-battle-for-rochester-9872909.html Evening Standard comment: Bankers, Europe and the battle for Rochester The Evening Standard The previous by-election campaign that was triggered by Carswell's defection became known as 'The Battle for Clacton'.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-29475055 BBC News – Battle for Clacton: By-election candidates in TV debate BBC News On polling day, Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry tweeted a picture of a house (in Strood) adorned with England flags with a white van parked outside, which drew accusations of liberal elitism including from her fellow Labour Party MP Simon Danczuk among others.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30142579 BBC News – Emily Thornberry: How one tweet led to her resignation BBC News Shortly after close of polls, Thornberry resigned from Ed Miliband's Shadow Cabinet in response to the controversy the tweet generated. The following day, Miliband described the tweet as conveying a "sense of disrespect".https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30148768 BBC News – Miliband: Thornberry's 'white van, flag' tweet lacked respect BBC News Polling Date(s)conductedPolling organisation/client Sample size Con Lab LD UKIP Green Others Lead20 Nov 2014 By-election resulthttps://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/live-updates-from-the-rochester-27339/ Reckless wins by-election Kent Online 40,113 34.7% 16.7% 0.9% 42.1% 4.2% 2.1% 7.3% 7–10 Nov 2014 AshcroftBy-election polling – General Election polling also reported at same source 543 32% 17% 2% 44% 4%Based on a table that does not adjust for don't know/won't say 1% 12% 27–28 Oct 2014 Survation 1,012 33% 16% 1% 48% 2% 2% 15% 17–21 Oct 2014 ComResApril 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes By-election polling 949 30% 21% 3% 43% 2% 1% 13% 4 October 2014 Survation/Mail on SundayBy-election polling 677 31% 25% 2% 40% 1% 0.2% 9% 6 May 2010 General Election Results 47,971 49.2% 28.5% 16.3% – 1.5% 4.5% 20.7% Previous result General election 2010: Rochester and StroodRochester & Strood BBC News 7 May 2010 https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/d72.stm Conservative Party (UK) Mark Reckless 23,604 49.2 6.6 Labour Party (UK) Teresa Murray 13,651 28.5 13.1 Liberal Democrats (UK) Geoff Juby 7,800 16.3 3.9 English Democrats Party Ron Sands 2,182 4.5 New Green Party of England and Wales Simon Marchant 734 1.5 New 9,953 20.7 19.7 47,971 64.9 2.5 Conservative Party (UK) 9.8 See also Politics United Kingdom Kent 2014 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom List of United Kingdom by-elections (2010–present) 2015 United Kingdom general election References 30em collapsed Rochester and Strood by-election Rochester and Strood by-election Rochester and Strood by-election Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Kent constituencies Category:Politics of Medway Category:UK Independence Party Category:2010s in Kent Category:Nigel Farage Category:Strood Category:Rochester, Kent