Reckless secures Rochester and Strood seat for UKIP

  • Meridian
UKIP leader Nigel Farage celebrates another victory Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Mark Reckless has become UKIP's second MP after securing an historic victory in the Rochester and Strood by-election.

Mr Reckless triggered the by-election after defecting from the Tories last month and has led the polls ever since.

He warned in his victory speech that UKIP could now win nationwide.

Mr Reckless said: "Whichever constituency, whatever your former party allegiance, think of what it would mean to have a bloc of UKIP MPs at Westminster large enough to hold the balance of power."

"If you believe in freedom, if you believe in low taxes, if you believe inclean government, if you believe in localism, if you believe in people power.

"If you believe that the world is bigger than Europe, if you believe in anindependent Britain, then come with us and we will give you back yourcountry."

And he sought to put behind him a controversy over his apparent suggestion that existing EU migrants could be forced to leave the UK if it pulled out ofEurope.

He insisted that he had enjoyed "more than a dash of support from people whocame here from other EU states".

"They are now here as part of our community and they will always be welcome," he added.

"If Ukip is to win nationwide - and we have proved tonight that we can - itmust do so on that basis. We most be a party that speaks to and for the whole nation and everyone who lives within it."

Conservative candidate Kelly Tolhurst Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire/Press Association Images

The Conservatives were pushed into second place, their candidate Kelly Tolhurst picking up 13,947 - nearly 3,000 fewer votes than Mr Reckless.

Afterwards the Tories admitted they were disappointed with the result. But Party chairman Grant Shapps said the narrower-than-predicted margin of victory for UKIP meant the Conservatives were well placed to win back the seat in the General Election on May 7.

Mr Shapps said: "Over the course of this campaign the gap has closed. They have ended up with about a 7% lead for Mark Reckless. They were predicting something over twice that level. So 2,900 is not a big majority now to try to win back in 170 days time."

"I'm very sorry that Kelly has not been elected but with 2,900 votes in it, itcertainly puts her in strong contention for the general election and we will befighting very hard to win this back."

Mark Reckless wins with a 2,900 majority Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire/Press Association Images

It was a disappointing night for the Lib Dems who fell to fifth - behind the Green Party who outpolled them almost five to one.

Green candidate Clive Gregory won 1,692 votes - almost trebling the party's share of the vote.

It continued the Liberal Democrats' string of poor by-election performances. Their candidate Geoff Juby finished with just 349 votes and lost his deposit.

A total of 40,113 votes were cast - a turnout of 50.67%.

The full results from last night's Rochester and Strood by-election:

Mark Reckless (UKIP) 16,867Kelly Tolhurst (Con) 13,947Naushabah Khan (Lab) 6,713Clive Gregory (Green) 1,692Geoff Juby (LD) 349Hairy Knorm Davidson (Loony) 151Stephen Goldsbrough (Ind) 69Nick Long (PBP) 69Jayda Fransen (Britain 1st) 56Mike Barker (Ind) 54Charlotte Rose (Ind) 43Dave Osborn (Pat Soc) 33Christopher Challis (Ind) 22

UKIP majority: 2,920 Turnout: 40,065 (50.61%)