LEWISHAM EAST BY-ELECTION

The result of the Lewisham East by-election was a comfortable win for Labour, with 50.2% of the vote, and a resurgence for the Liberal Democrats, who pushed past the Tories to come second with 24.6% (having come third in the 2017 general election). The Tories polled 14.3%, coming third.

The result for UKIP was dismal. They managed only 1.7%. For a party that once saw itself as being on a par with the Liberal Democrats, this is a shattering result. But UKIP will survive the blow due to the dedication of its ordinary members. The UKIP campaign was not aided by the subversive chatter and activities of certain of its MEPs.

Two UKIP splinter parties also stood. The Democrats and Veterans Party polled a puny 0.3% (only 67 votes), which is not a surprise given its political stance.

The For Britain Movement, another UKIP splinter group, who fielded their leader – a former candidate for UKIP in this constituency – had high hopes. In the event, they polled only 1.2% (just 266 votes). This low vote might be typical for a fringe party, but given that For Britain fielded their strongest candidate on her home turf and still did so poorly, indicates that they will do worse elsewhere.

This poor result for what might be loosely termed as the patriotic cause comes at a time when there have been demonstrations attended by many thousands in favour of free speech and in protest against the petty, vindictive imprisonment of a leading campaigner. It comes at a time when the Tories have abandoned Brexit in favour of Brino, and are in the process of increasing immigration.

Gerard Batten, the leader of UKIP, has publicly stated, rightly, that there needs to be a democratic outlet for peoples’ angst and that it is only the prospect of losing elections that will galvanize the ruling parties to take notice. This result shows that there is no capable political party able to so fulfil that role at present.