By-election shows Lucy Care set to win Derby North

1.10.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 2nd Oct 2009

The result of the Allestree by-election points to Cllr Lucy Care winning Derby North for the Liberal Democrats at the General Election. There was a massive 13% swing from the Conservatives to the Lib Dems in the by-election.

Derby Liberal Democrats secured a massive increase in their share of the vote in the Allestree by-election. The Lib Dems overtook Labour, to move from third to second place and the Lib Dems slashed the Conservative majority by nearly two-thirds.

Lib Dem candidate Deena Smith said "I am delighted that so many people have switched to the Lib Dems. We fought a campaign on the issues that concern local people, making local roads safer, tackling anti-social behaviour and protecting our local environment."

Lib Dem Council leader Hilary Jones said "This is a great result for us. This big increase in the Lib Dem vote makes us very hopeful of getting a great result in next year's local elections and gives Lucy Care a real chance of taking Derby North for the Lib Dems at the next general election.

"The Conservatives parliamentary candidate for Mid-Derbyshire Pauline Latham, must be having a few sleepless nights. Last year the Lib Dems gained a seat, with a massive majority, in her own ward of Oakwood now we have secured a big increase in our vote in Allestree which has traditionally been a safe Conservative seat."

Ends

The result was (compared to the last elections in 2008)

Conservative 1,988 52.3% (-1,246, -10.3%)

Liberal Democrat 1,037 27.3% (+404, +15.1%)

Labour 532 14.0% (-207, -0.3%)

BNP 242 6.4% (-321, -4.5%)

Con to LD swing 12.7%

Tory majority 951

(Tory majority last time 2,495)