MOTHER OF ALL MARGINALS
Peterborough by-election results 2019 – Who won the local election?
THE results are now in after locals voted in Peterborough's hotly-contested by-election on June 6. So who came out on top?
The election took place to replace disgraced former Labour MP Fiona Onasanya who was ousted after lying about her speeding ticket. Here's what went down.
Who won the Peterborough by-election?
Despite early polls suggesting the seat would go to Brexit Party candidate Mike Greene, he was pipped to the post by Labour's Lisa Forbes.
Unite activist Lisa Forbes was elected with a tiny majority over Mike Greene in a chilling warning of how Jeremy Corbyn could make it to No10 by splitting the vote.
Labour edged to victory, revealing the huge fight the Tories have on their hands as Nigel Farage's popularity soars.
Given 60 per cent of voters in the area backed Brexit in the 2016 referendum, their party very nearly made history yet again.
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Mr Farage had been hoping his party would secure its first MP, just two months after it formed.
But Ms Forbes, who refused to say she would campaign to Remain in a second referendum, won the seat with 10,484 votes, ahead of the Brexit Party candidate’s 9,801 votes.
In another crushing blow to the Tories, their candidate Paul Bristow came in third place with 7,243 votes.
The news will be of little comfort to Theresa May on her final day as Tory leader.
If there were a general election tomorrow with Brexit unresolved it would give the Labour boss a clear path to No10 as the vote is so split.
The Tory and Brexit vote together would have been more than enough to see off Labour in Peterborough.
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What were the results in full?
Lisa Forbes (Labour) 10,484 (30.91%, -17.17%)
Mike Greene (Brexit) 9,801 (28.89%)
Paul Bristow (Conservative) 7,243 (21.35%, -25.45%)
Beki Sellick (Liberal Democrat) 4,159 (12.26%, +8.92%)
Joseph Wells (Green) 1,035 (3.05%, +1.27%)
John Whitby (UKIP) 400 (1.18%)
Tom Rogers (Christian People’s Alliance) 162 (0.48%)
Stephen Goldspink (English Democrats) 153 (0.45%)
Patrick O’Flynn (Social Democratic Party) 135 (0.40%)
Alan "Howling Laud" Hope (Official Monster Raving Loony Party) 112 (0.33%)
Andrew Moore (Peterborough People’s Party) 101 (0.30%)
Dick Rodgers (Common Good) 60 (0.18%)
Peter Ward (Renew) 45
Pierre Kirk (UK European Union Party) 25
Bobby Smith (Independent) 5
What did Lisa Forbes say in her victory speech?
In her victory speech, Ms Forbes hailed the result and the defeat of the Brexit Party in her victory speech.
"Despite the differing opinions across our city, the fact that the Brexit Party have been rejected here in Peterborough shows that the politics of division will not win," she said.
Mr Greene gave a thumbs down sign as the results were announced - but he said "we will be back".
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How did Peterborough vote in the last election?
In the 2017 General Election Labour candidate Fiona Onasanya was elected with 48.1 per cent of the vote.
She was closely followed by the Conservative candidate with 46.8 per cent of the vote.
The Liberal Democrats and Green Party managed to attain 3.3 and 1.8 per cent of the vote in 2017 respectively.
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When was the Peterborough by-election?
The vote took place on June 6, 2019.
It was dubbed "the mother of all marginals" after Labour won the seat by a fraction in 2017.
Fifteen candidates ran for the seat and relentless campaigning took place to win over the voters.
The by-election was triggered after sitting MP Onasanya was removed from office after a recall petition.
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How did Peterborough vote in the Brexit referendum?
Peterborough voted overwhelmingly in favour of leaving the EU in the 2016 referendum.
Leave voters numbered 60.1 per cent in comparison to 39.1 per cent for Remain out of a turnout of 72.3 per cent.
This same pro-Brexit Leave feeling was repeated at the end of May in the European Parliament Elections when Nigel Farage’s party won twice as many votes as its nearest rival Labour.
The Brexit Party polled 16,196 votes, while Labour drew 7,272 followed by the Liberal Democrats on 6,491 votes.
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