Bad Night for Labour

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 23rd May 2008

"The result in Crewe & Nantwich is bad news for Labour" says Graham Oakes, Lib Dem PPC for Exeter .

Commenting on the result he added: "This was a 'must win' by-election for the Conservatives for had they failed it would have been the beginning of the end for David Cameron as their leader. The result is similar to the recent local elections in that area, with the Tories increasing their share of the vote at Labour's expenses, with the Lib Dems almost unchanged since May 1st in third place."

"Applying this result as a prediction for the next General Election in the new Exeter seat is difficult as Crewe & Nantwich is very different to the new Exeter seat. The two main differences are that Crewe & Nantwich had a well respected independent-minded Labour MP in Gwyneth Dunwoody, where as Exeter has an MP who is ultra loyal to the Government, backing the Government on everything form the war in Iraq to Post Office closures, from the costly introduction of ID cards to increasing the tax burden on the poorer members of our society."

"Exeter is also different in that all three main parties are neck and neck and unlike this very short by-election campaign, all three main candidates are already in place so the electors will be able to make a better informed decision."

"In previous by-elections the Opposition have often swept in, defeating the Government's candidate, as people take the chance to send a message to them. In almost every case the party who was perceived to be the third party has been squeezed to the point of losing their deposit. In Crewe & Nantwich our vote remained solid which bodes well for Lib Dems across the South West."