Tories cling on to Witnesham

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 20th Aug 2008

In the recent by-election in the Witnesham Ward (Suffolk Coastal District Council) the Tories clung on by just 44 votes in one of their formally safest seats.

Result:

Conservatives 316 votes (53.7%)

Lib Dems 272 votes(46.3%)

"This marks a huge swing to the Liberal Democrats, and clearly shows that it is going to be a tight contest in the General Election between the incumbent Tory and the Liberal Democrats," commented Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne.

The absence of the Labour Party is more evidence that nationally and locally they are in terminal decline and have no hope of making any impact here. In contrast to Labour's absence the strong community campaigning of the Liberal Democrats based on local people's concerns were well received on the doorstep.

By-election candidate Andrew Houseley mounted a magnificent campaign focusing on issues which mattered - protecting the rural identity, promotion of sustainable transport, keeping our streets clean

and getting value for money from our councils.

In contrast to the active Liberal Democrat campaigns, the Tories were slow to engage with the community - probably relying on age old voting loyalties!

Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne, the Parliamentary Spokesperson for the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich Constituency concluded: "This by-election has swept aside any idea that this is a Conservative area, local people have voted in confidence for the Liberal Democrats because they have seen us working for them. While we didn't take the seat, the work goes on and increasing our vote to over 46% from a standing start bodes very well for the future."