The Norwich North by election - won by the Conservatives is remarkable in that the Tory vote moved to 13,591 - down from 15.638, (-13%) the Labour vote at 6,243 was down from 21,097 (-70%) with the Lib Dems on 4,803 (- 37%) and UKIP close behind on 4.068 (+ 129% !) . The Greens got 3,350 (+ 168%)
Others (7 of then includuing BNP on 941) 2, 322 (308 before with one candidate)
This makes the total vote 36.424 against 47,034 at the General election or -23% [nb “turnout cannot yet be calculated because we do not know rthe size of the electorate yet0
The Tories got 37.3% of the vote against 33,25% at the general election. The 'other parties' - UKIP, Greens, BNP and the rest - got 27% against a modest 8.6% nefore.
Well the Tories achieved their object , with a fall in their vote of less than the fall in the total votes and an overturning of a Labour 5,459 majority. But the lesson is clear. The public are worried and cross and in a mood to behave unpredictably! . All by-elections produce a lower turnout than general elections but this was only slightly steeper than average. Nobody should make any predictions based on this, much less take any bets.
Christina
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