Clegg defiant despite poll slump

2011-03-05 08:06:48

4 March 2011 Last updated at 17:22 Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print Clegg defiant despite Lib Dems' slump in Barnsley poll

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Leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband: 'They have sent a very clear message to this government.'

UKIP leader Nigel Farage heralded the party's performance, saying they were the "real winners" in Barnsley Central.

"We've shown our potential in European elections by getting big scores in the past and now we're doing it in first past the post Westminster elections," he said. "We are delighted though I have to say but not completely surprised.

"Because just over the last month, whether it's votes for prisoners, car insurance for young women, annuities for old men, increasingly our Parliament is seen to be completely impotent. So the UKIP message that we should take back control of our own lives is very relevant to voters."

For the Conservatives, Chancellor George Osborne said Labour's victory was not a turn-up given their historic dominance of the area and the Barnsley seat was "never within our sights".

"The Conservatives started out in third place and ended up in third place," he said.

Former MP Eric Illsley held Barnsley Central with a majority of just over 11,000 in last year's general election but he resigned his seat after pleading guilty to falsely claiming £14,000 in parliamentary expenses. He was later jailed for a year.

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