Strong showing for Lib Dems in by-elections: Labour vote down, whilst Tories go into fourth place in Hartlepool and the Green vote flops

3.53.02pm GMT Sun 10th Oct 2004

Liberal Democrats have polled strongly in two by-elections.

On 30 September, Jody Dunn took the Liberal Democrats from third place to second in Hartlepool cutting the majority of 17,000 to 2,000 with a swing of 19%. The Tories were pushed from second into fourth place by the Lib Dems and the UK Independence Party.

The result for the Conservatives was worse even than the third places they achieved in the previous three parliamentary by-elections in Brent East, Leicester South and Birmingham Hodge Hill.

Lib Dem party president Simon Hughes said: "The Tories have not just been overtaken, they have been left in the lay-by and overtaken by UKIP. It is the only time the Tories have gone from second to fourth since the Tory Party was formed."

Lord Rennard, the Liberal Democrat campaign chief, said: "This has been a solid Labour town for 40 years. We are now seeing a pattern in which the Tories start in second place and end up third, and now fourth".

The Green Party share of the vote was a poor sixth place on just 255 votes or a pathetic 0.8%, again putting them behind their main rivals Respect and only a handful of votes above the BNP.

Locally, Thursday, 7 October saw Lib Dem Mark Barnard dramatically increase the party's share of the vote in the Hangleton & Knoll by-election for Brighton & Hove City Council. Labour lost the seat seeing their share of the vote fall by 8.3%, whilst the Lib Dems increased their share of the vote by 8.8%. Again the Greens polled poorly, achieving just 170 votes, and seeing a fall in their support.

City Council Lib Dem Group Leader, Paul Elgood said: 'These are very strong showings for the Liberal Democrats and present good progress for the party as the challengers to Labour.'

The full result below:

Brighton and Hove City UA Hangleton and Knoll

Con 1535 (42.1; +3.4), Lab 1165 (32.0; -8.3), LD Mark Barnard 618 (17.0; +8.8), Green 170 (4.7; -2.4), Ind 156 (4.3; +1.9), [SA (0.0; -3.3)]. Majority 370. Turnout 33.5%. Con gain from Lab. Last fought 2003.