2013 Eastleigh by-election

2013 UK Parliamentary by-election April 2013 August 2022 2013 Eastleigh by-election parliamentary United Kingdom Eastleigh seat in the House of Commons no 2010 United Kingdom general election 2010 2015 United Kingdom general election 2015 28 February 2013 52.8% Mike Thornton Liberal Democrats (UK) 13,342 32.1% 14.4 pp x160px Diane James x160px UK Independence Party 11,571 27.8% 24.2 pp Maria Hutchings Conservative Party (UK) 10,559 25.4% 13.9 pp John O'Farrell Labour Party (UK) 4,088 9.8% 0.2 pp MP Subsequent MP Chris Huhne Liberal Democrats (UK) Mike Thornton Liberal Democrats (UK) A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Eastleigh was held on 28 February 2013, triggered by the resignation of incumbent Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne after being convicted of perverting the course of justice in relation to speeding offences. It was won by Mike Thornton, who retained the seat for the Liberal Democrats, though with a reduced majority. UKIP came second with a greatly increased share of the vote. Background The by-election was triggered by the resignation of the sitting MP, Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne, which took effect on 5 February 2013.http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_07_13.htm Press Notice – Three Hundreds of Chiltern HM Treasury 5 February 2013 5 February 2013 The resignation coincided with his guilty plea on the eve of a court case in which he and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce were to be prosecuted for lying to police about a previous speeding offence which was committed in 2003 but only came to light in May 2011. Huhne had already stood down from his position as the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in February 2012 when first charged.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21320992 Chris Huhne admits perverting the course of justice BBC 4 February 2013 Huhne and Pryce were subsequently sentenced to eight months in prison on 11 March 2013. However, they were both released after only two months on 13 May, subject to electronic tagging.2013-05-13 Nine weeks is a long time in politics: Vicky Pryce and Chris Huhne https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/nine-weeks-is-a-long-time-in-politics-vicky-pryce-and-chris-huhne-released-from-prison-but-what-does-the-future-hold-for-them-8612974.html 2026-02-28 The Independent en Selection of candidates The Statement of Persons Nominated was published on 13 February and confirmed 14 candidates for the by-election.July 2016 The defending party, the Liberal Democrats, nominated Eastleigh Borough Council councillor Mike Thornton.http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/meetings/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=1013 Profile – Cllr. Mike Thornton Eastleigh Borough Council 10 February 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100510131538/http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/meetings/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=1013 10 May 2010 deadhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21398150 Eastleigh by-election: Mike Thornton chosen as Lib Dem candidate BBC 9 February 2013 Maria Hutchings, the Conservatives' candidate at the general election, was chosen as the candidate for the by-election on 7 February.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21376914 Eastleigh by-election: Maria Hutchings to stand for Conservatives BBC 7 February 2013 7 February 2013 Hutchings came to prominence in 2005 when she interrupted a live television phone-in with the then Prime Minister Tony Blair.http://politicalscrapbook.net/2013/02/eastleigh-tory-candidate-maria-hutchings-ambushed-tony-blair-on-channel-five/ The moment the Tories' Eastleigh candidate ambushed Tony Blair Political Scrapbook 8 February 2013 She said that she would vote for Britain to leave the EU and would have voted against gay marriage.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9858112/Eastleigh-by-election-Why-Eastleigh-could-soon-turn-beastly.html Eastleigh by-election: Why Eastleigh could soon turn beastly The Daily Telegraph London 8 February 2013 Neil Tweedie Peter Dominiczak She also identified as pro-life and says that she is not a "Tory toff". The Labour Party chose author and broadcaster John O'Farrell as its candidate on 12 February.Eastleigh – The Shortlist LabourListhttp://labourlist.org/2013/02/labours-selection-timetable-for-eastleigh-announced/ Labour's selection Timetable for Eastleigh announced 7 February 2013 Mark Ferguson Having received during the campaign negative coverage of selected quotations from a book he wrote in 1998, in which he recalled the Brighton bomb attacks against the Conservative Party and then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher,https://web.archive.org/web/20130224063849/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100203205/ed-milibands-pathetic-silence-over-labour-candidates-sick-attack-on-lady-thatcher-shows-his-lack-of-leadership/ http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100203205/ed-milibands-pathetic-silence-over-labour-candidates-sick-attack-on-lady-thatcher-shows-his-lack-of-leadership/ 24 February 2013 Ed Miliband's pathetic silence over Labour candidate's sick attack on Lady Thatcher shows poor leadership Gardiner Nile 18 February 2013 dead The Daily Telegraph London O'Farrell reflected after polling day that the experience was enough to put him off electoral politics for good.My Eastleigh experience was enough – I won't stand for election in 2015 The GuardianLabour's John O'Farrell Won't Stand In 2015 Election, After Eastleigh Fourth Place The Huffington Post UKIP Eastleigh selected candidate Diane James, a Councillor from Ewhurst in Waverley, Surrey, who was elected there as an independent and subsequently joined UKIP.Profile – Councillor Diane James https://web.archive.org/web/20150721174916/http://www.waverley.gov.uk/councillors/30/diane_james 21 July 2015 Waverley Borough Councilhttp://www.ukip.org/content/latest-news/2943-diane-james-our-choice-for-eastleigh Diane James, our choice for Eastleigh 11 February 2013 UKIPhttp://www.eastleighnews.co.uk/2013/02/ukip-hope-thatcher-candidate-has-tory-appeal/ UKIP hope Eastleighnews.co.uk 11 February 2013 2013-03-26https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21418431 Eastleigh by-election candidate list BBC 25 February 2013 2013-03-26 The party's leader, Nigel Farage, previously contested the seat at a by-election in 1994.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21324023 Huhne triggers coalition by-election battle 4 February 2012 James Landale BBC 6 February 2013Farage Nigel Why I will not fight the Eastleigh by-election https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9850603/Nigel-Farage-Why-I-will-not-fight-the-Eastleigh-by-election.html 6 February 2013 The Daily Telegraph London 5 February 2013http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/nigel-farage-to-decide-on-eastleigh-by-election-1-2774863 Nigel Farage to decide on Eastleigh by-election 4 February 2013 David Maddox The Scotsman 6 February 2013 While he initially said he would consider standing again, he decided not to after much media speculation.Exclusive: Nigel Farage will not fight Chris Huhne seat https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9850493/Exclusive-Nigel-Farage-will-not-fight-Chris-Huhne-seat.html The Daily Telegraph London 5 February 2013 Christopher Hope 6 February 2013 The English Democrats fielded Michael Walters, the South East Area Secretary of the party. The Christian Party candidate was Kevin Milburn. He said "I am standing in this election to allow voters the opportunity to show their disapproval of this Government over many issues, including their attack on marriage. The Government has upset vast swathes of the population with this ill-conceived Bill."http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/politics/elections/eastleigh_2013/news/10248626.Kevin_Milburn___Christian_Party___VIDEO/ Kevin Milburn – Christian Party – VIDEO (From Daily Echo) Dailyecho.co.uk 24 February 2013 2013-03-26 The Monster Raving Loony Party, which stood in the 1994 by-election, selected its leader Howling Laud Hope as its candidate.https://twitter.com/LoonyPartyNews/status/299226663470903296 Twitter / LoonyPartyNews 6 February 2013 Official Monster Raving Loony Party On 8 February, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition announced that it had chosen Darren Procter, secretary of the Southampton Shipping branch of the RMT union, as their candidate.http://www.tusc.org.uk/press080213.php RMT executive member Darren Procter to stand in Eastleigh by-election Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 8 February 2013 Procter also serves on the National Executive Committee of RMT. He stood on an anti-austerity platform. The National Health Action Party, a new party founded in 2012 in response to the Coalition Government's healthcare reforms, selected Dr Iain Maclennan, a local doctor and former Royal Navy medical officer, as their candidate.http://www.nationalhealthaction.org.uk/former-local-lib-dem-activist-and-ex-nhs-chief-defects-to-national-health-action-party/ Former Local Lib Dem activist and ex-NHS chief defects to National Health Action Party 10 February 2013 National Health Action Party 11 February 2013 Independent candidate Danny Stupple stood in protest at gay marriage and what he describes as the party "machine" pushing it through Parliament.March 2013 The Wessex Regionalist Party fielded the party's president, Colin Bex, as its candidate. Polling Date(s)conductedPolling organisation/client Sample size LD Con UKIPLab Others Lead28 Feb Eastleigh by-election, 2013 Result 42,649 32.1% 25.4% 27.8% 9.8% 4.9% 4.3% 22–24 Feb Populus/The Times 1,002 33% 28% 21% 12% 6% 5%21–22 Feb Populus/Sunday Times 1,001 33% 28% 21% 11% 4% 5%18–22 Feb Survation/Mail on Sunday 543 29% 33% 21% 13% 4% 4%6–8 Feb Survation/Mail on Sunday 504 36% 33% 16% 13% 2% 3%4–5 Feb Populus 1,006 31% 34% 13% 19% 3% 3%6 May 2010 Results (Eastleigh only) 53,650 46.5% 39.3% 3.6% 9.6% 1.0% 7.2% Results The Liberal Democrats' win was their first in a by-election since Dunfermline and West Fife seven years earlier. It was also their first and only by-election win under the leadership of Nick Clegg. The UKIP vote was their highest yet in any parliamentary election (in both share and number of votes), and was the fourth time the party had come second in a by-election. At the time, it was also the closest UKIP had come to winning a Westminster seat. With less than 7% of the vote separating the top three candidates, it was the closest three-way result in an English by-election for over 90 years (in Penistone in 1921 there was 6% between the top three). It was also the first time since the 1989 Richmond by-election that Labour had come fourth while in opposition. Following the election result, UKIP leader Nigel Farage and Conservative candidate Maria Hutchings each blamed the other party for splitting the vote and allowing the Liberal Democrats to win.Robin Brant https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21625726 Eastleigh by-election: Lib Dems hold on despite UKIP surge BBC 2013-03-01 2013-05-24 Eastleigh by-election 2013 Resignation of Chris Huhne 41,616 52.8 –16.5 1,771 4.3 -2.9 hold 19.3 Liberal Democrats (UK) UKIP Mike Thornton Liberal Democrats (UK) 13,342 32.1 –14.4 Diane James UK Independence Party 11,571 27.8 +24.2 Maria Hutchings Conservative Party (UK) 10,559 25.4 –13.9 John O'Farrell Labour Party (UK) 4,088 9.8 +0.2 Danny Stupple Independent politician 768 1.8 New Iain Maclennan National Health Action Party 392 0.9 New Ray Hall Beer, Baccy and Crumpet 235 0.6 New Kevin Milburn Christian Party (UK) 163 0.4 New Howling Laud Hope Official Monster Raving Loony Party 136 0.3 New Jim Duggan Peace Party (UK) 128 0.3 New David Bishop Elvis Loves Pets Party 72 0.2 New Michael Walters English Democrats 70 0.1 –0.3 Daz Proctor Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 62 0.1 New Colin Bex Wessex Regionalist Party 30 0.1 New General election 2010 http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/pdf/SOPN4MPEastleigh2010.pdf Statement of persons nominated, notice of poll and situation of polling stations 20 April 2010 6 February 2013 Eastleigh Borough Council https://web.archive.org/web/20110808201857/http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/pdf/SOPN4MPEastleigh2010.pdf 8 August 2011 dead 53,650 69.3 +4.9 3,864 7.2 hold 3.0 Conservative Party (UK) Liberal Democrats (UK) Chris Huhne Liberal Democrats (UK) 24,966 46.5 +8.2 Maria Hutchings Conservative Party (UK) 21,102 39.3 +2.1 Leo Barraclough Labour Party (UK) 5,153 9.6 –11.5 Ray Finch UK Independence Party 1,933 3.6 +0.2 Tony Pewsey English Democrats 249 0.5 New Dave Stone Independent politician 154 0.3 New Keith Low National Liberal Party – Third Way 93 0.2 New See also 1994 Eastleigh by-election List of United Kingdom by-elections (2010–present) Opinion polling for the 2015 United Kingdom general election Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies (2010–2015) References External links http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/the-council/elections-and-voting/by-election2013/by-election-result-2013.aspx 1 March 2013 Eastleigh Borough Council Eastleigh Parliamentary By-Election 2013 Result dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130626235321/http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/the-council/elections-and-voting/by-election2013/by-election-result-2013.aspx 26 June 2013 Category:Politics of the Borough of Eastleigh Category:By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Hampshire constituencies Eastleigh by-election Eastleigh by-election Category:2010s in Hampshire Eastleigh by-election