Swing when you’re winning
What are the biggest UK by-election swings?
— The 1983 Bermondsey by-election saw a 11,756 Labour majority turned into a 9,319 majority for the Liberal party – a result widely attributed to the Labour candidate, Peter Tatchell, coming out as gay during the campaign. The Labour party under Michael Foot was also extremely unpopular – and had its then biggest defeat in a general election four months later.
— The Clacton by-election of 2014 saw a 12,068 Conservative majority overturned into a Ukip majority of 12,404, with the Conservative share of the vote falling from 53% to 25%. However, it was unusual in that the Ukip candidate, Douglas Carswell, had been the sitting Conservative MP.
— The Lincoln by-election of 1973 was held in similar circumstances, with Labour MP Dick Taverne resigning and standing as a Democratic Labour candidate. A Labour majority of 4,750 was turned into a Democratic Labour majority of 13,191 – but with the same MP.
By degrees
Rishi Sunak claimed that students are being ‘ripped off’ by poor university courses.
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