Lib Dem By-Election Win in Leicester South Plunges Conservatives into Third Place

6.12.47pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 16th Jul 2004

Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy today congratulated Parmjit Singh Gill on becoming the Party's newest and first ethnic minority MP, upon his election as Member of Parliament for Leicester South.

Commenting on Mr Gill's spectacular win over Labour, Mr Kennedy said:

"This is a fantastic night of success for the Liberal Democrats.The story of the night is of two party politics in the cities - the Liberal Democrats versus Labour.

Yet again we have shown that we can take on Labour and win. We have proved that the Liberal Democrats' win in Brent East was no flash in the pan and this will have big implications for the next General Election.

The Conservatives are going nowhere except further down and out. This demonstrates that in large areas of the country a Conservative vote is now a wasted vote.

The Liberal Democrats remain positively on course for a further major stride forward at the next General Election."