Boost for Miliband as Labour wins first by-election

London, Jan 15, IRNA – Britain’s Labour leader Ed Miliband was given a boost on Friday after his party’s candidate Debbie Abrahams held Oldham East and Saddleworth in northern England with an increased majority in the first by-election under the coalition.

“The voters have sent a clear message” to the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government, Abrahams said. “Across the country there is growing anger against your reckless policies and your unfair cuts.”

Her increased majority to more than 3,500 compared to just 103 at last year’s general election and was seen as endorsement for Miliband since becoming Labour’s youngest-ever leader last September.

Lib Dem candidate Elwyn Watkins retained second place despite fears of a backlash over the party reneging on many of its election pledges to go into coalition with the Conservatives.

The by-election was the first opportunity that voters had to pass judgement on the policies of the government and the main losers were the Conservatives, with the share of the vote halving to under 13 per cent for their candidate Kashif Ali.

A further test of popularity will come with another by-election in Barnsley, also in the north, when former Labour MP Eric Illsley steps down after being convicted for expenses fraud.

In May, there are also elections to the Scottish parliament as well as the annual series of local elections across the UK.

National opinion polls show that Labour has edged ahead of the Conservatives while support for the Lib Dems has collapsed./end