'Real Votes in real seats will burst bubble of Tory euphoria' - Hughes

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th Sep 2008

Embargo: Immediate

Contact: Eddie Reeves (print/broadcast). Tel: 02072191681, Email: reevese@parliament.uk.

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Liberal Democrats have burst the bubble of Tory euphoria on the eve of their party conference in Birmingham.

Yesterday, in by-elections in the London Borough of Camden and Wealden, East Sussex, Liberal Democrats won two seats from the Conservatives.

In Camden, long-time Hampstead resident, businesswoman and leading member of the Chinese Liberal Democrats Linda Chung won seat of Hampstead Town from the Conservatives with a majority of 128.

In Wealden, local campaigner and former councillor Andy Watkins overturned a Conservative majority of 430 on a swing of 23%.

The Liberal Democrats' win in Camden came in Labour's Hampstead and Highgate constituency, currently held by Glenda Jackson and targeted by the Liberal Democrats as a gain at the next election.

Commenting on the wins, Liberal Democrat Federal President Simon Hughes said:

"This week's local elections show a clear 2-0 victory for the Liberal Democrats over the Conservatives.

"In both central London and rural Sussex, real votes in real seats will burst the bubble of Tory euphoria in the midst of this year's fevered conference season.

"Liberal Democrats are not only holding their ground but are making advances - against Conservatives and Labour in the North, the Midlands and the South."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. For details for all of this week's by-election results, see: http://www.aldc.org/by-election-results/