UKIP second as Labour win South Shields by-election
ByPress Association
Labour's Emma Lewell-Buck makes her speech after winning the South Shields seat.
Labour’s Emma Lewell-Buck won the South Shields parliamentary by-election today, with the UK Independence Party coming second.
She beat UKIP’s Richard Elvin by 6,505 votes in the contest triggered by former foreign secretary David Miliband’s decision to quit.
The Conservatives finished in third, but the Liberal Democrats were pushed down to seventh place.
The Labour winner, a married social worker, was cheered by supporters as she became the first female MP in South Shields.
From the podium, she said: “I will help get people back to work, champion our wonderful town and never give the Tory Government one moment’s peace.”
Afterwards, Mr Elvin said: “It’s an absolutely fantastic result for UKIP. To come from nowhere to take 25% at its first attempt is absolutely stunning.
“It’s a message to all three mainstream parties that UKIP is the official opposition. We have proved that in Labour strongholds and we have done it again in South Shields.”
UKIP second as Labour win South Shields by-election
