UK voters reject ''hard Brexit'' in shock Lib Dem by-election victory

[rooster59]

UK voters reject ''hard Brexit'' in shock Lib Dem by-election victory

 

 

UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative government suffered a shock election result Friday losing a London constituency in what is being described as a protest against the UK leaving the European Union.

 

Pro-EU Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney won the south west London constituency of Richmond Park, running a campaign promising to vote in parliament against the UK leaving the EU.

 

Olney beat incumbent and Brexit campaigner Zach Goldsmith, winning 20,510 votes to Goldsmith’s 18,638. The result overturns a Conservative Party majority in the constituency since 2015.

 

“Our message is clear: we do not want a ‘hard Brexit’; we do not want to be pulled out of the Single Market; and we will not let intolerance, division and fear win,” Olney said following her election victory.

 

Goldsmith, a former candidate for London Mayor, ran as an independent after quitting the Conservative Party when the government decided to expand London’s Heathrow Airport. The decision was a locally contentious issue that Goldsmith himself opposed.

 

The Conservative Party did not, however, present a candidate to run in the by-election.

 

London voted overwhelmingly to remain within the European Union and Olney’s election victory narrows the Conservative Party’s already slender 13-seat working majority in Parliament.

 

The election result is sending shockwaves throughout the UK as Olney only joined politics 18 months ago, and was not expected to carry the result.

 

A London Evening Standard and BMG Research constituency poll, published on Monday this week, predicted Goldsmith would win the Richmond vote by 56 percent.

The Liberal Democrats appear to have successfully exploited the disconnect between Richmond voters on the referendum and Goldsmiths’ campaign for Brexit.

 

Now Olney will be one of nine MPs for the Liberal Democrats.

 

Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, hailed her election victory saying it is a “come-from-nowhere upset that will terrify the Conservatives.”

 

“If this was a General Election, this swing would mean the Conservatives would lose dozens of seats to the Liberal Democrats,” Farron said in a statement.

 

The warning signs of a possible electoral revolt against Prime Minister May’s Conservative leadership had already appeared two months ago during the by-election of former Prime Minister David Cameron’s seat in Witney.

 

While the Conservatives held on to Witney, that election saw support for the Liberal Democrats skyrocket, a swing Liberal Democrat leaders at the time said they hope could be the start of a nation-wide rejection of Brexit and PM May’s leadership.

 

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s man appointed to lead the EU’s Brexit negotiations congratulated Olneyn – sparking outrage among Brexit campaigners incensed by what they see is Verhofstadt’s interjection in UK politics.

 

Whether Olney will keep her campaign promise to vote against Brexit remains to be seen and depends entirely on whether the UK Supreme Court grants Parliament the authority to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

 

Open Europe Today, a non-partisan and independent policy think tank specialising on Brexit, said it does not believe the UK House of Commons would vote to block Brexit.

 

MPs are conscious the referendum result is politically binding and if they vote against the wishes of the UK electorate, they could be threatening their chances at re-election, said Vincenzo Scarpetta, a senior policy expert for the think tank, in an interview with euronews.

 

“My impression is there appears to be very little buyer’s remorse on both sides,” Scarpetta said. “We don’t expect parliament to block the triggering of Article 50.”

 

The UK government has remained committed to starting divorce proceedings from the EU by March 2017.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-12-03

 

[ukrules]

This is one of the areas where a large majority of people voted to remain in the EU (70% apparently), they don't want any kind of EU exit in that area.

 

The rest of the country feels differently and they don't like it which is a shame but they will get used to it.

 

[CharlieK]

Lib/dem spin= BS

[Mosha]

Labour asked not to contest the seat, and I bet they wish they hadn't lol.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk

[SheungWan]

10 minutes ago, Mosha said:

Labour asked not to contest the seat, and I bet they wish they hadn't lol.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk
 

 

Labour scored less votes than the number of registered Labour Party members in the constituency. Labour voters clearly adopted tactical voting to defeat Goldsmith, which will be a worry for Labour in any future by-elections where Lib-Dems can upset a Tory incumbent.

[rockingrobin]

An MP with a mandate to oppose Brexit

[Loeilad]

The tories fear an election, but with a newly appointed PM a remainer pushing for a leave deal in a country that now appears to be against leaving who doesn't want to lose her unexpected position it will be hard to achieve.

 

Goldsmith was fighting in his heartland on a NIMBY ticket which was overshadowed by an anti-Brexit vote who preferred a candidate with no political history from previously lame duck party who overturned a 23k majority....that is some angry protest.

 

I think it is fairly clear that any general election would now kick out Brexit for good. .... but Theresa may would lose her premiership - the things people will do to hold on to power - openly support a policy they were against.

[Kasset Tak]

A majority of the Brits voted for Brexit so now they should just leave EU and stop moaning that they didn't really want to leave EU.

The same for Americans complaining about Trump getting elected for president.

That's democracy and if you can't accept that then stop complaining about how other countries are governed!

[RuamRudy]

2 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

A majority of the Brits voted for Brexit so now they should just leave EU and stop moaning that they didn't really want to leave EU.

 

Totally incorrect: only 37% of the British electorate voted to leave. The majority voted to remain or did not vote at all.

I am not disputing that more voted for than against, but it is wrong to say that they majority of Brits support Brexit. Clearly they don't.

[Scott]

An off-topic, derogatory post and replies reported and removed.  

[edwinchester]

14 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

 

Totally incorrect: only 37% of the British electorate voted to leave. The majority voted to remain or did not vote at all.

I am not disputing that more voted for than against, but it is wrong to say that they majority of Brits support Brexit. Clearly they don't.

Or to put it another way 'the majority voted to leave or did not vote at all'.

 

[Stargeezr]

For the Brits who did not vote at all, they should have no voice

of boo hoo now, and the vote was a democratic vote.  I just hope

that Britain can just get on with their results, and start sending the

welfare cases from other parts of Europe back to their own countries.

Just like in the USA after Donald Trump got in and a protest in NY showed

that over 60 percent of the protestors did not even vote.  I just

hope that Britain keeps going with Brexit.  Ireland is in the most

frustrating situation.

Geexer

[TommyUK1960]

This win for the Muppet's party LibDem means absolutely nothing. Just media making stories up to sell news papers and air time.

[RuamRudy]

22 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

Or to put it another way 'the majority voted to leave or did not vote at all'.

 

 

Of course, but I am tired of Brexiter indignation that the will of the country is somehow being dismissed.

Brexiters won the vote but they do not reflect the mood of the majority of the country.

[Grouse]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/dec/02/push-hard-brexit-richmond-park-win-says-lib-dem-mp-sarah-olney

 

It's democracy, people have spoken. Ignore at your peril! ?

[mariner16]

As I have posted before the question of whether UK should be in or out of the EEC/EU has dominated UK politics on and off for best part of 50 years. Even Nigel Farage was quoted before the referendum as saying a 52/48 win to remain in would not stop his and his followers crusade to leave. The overwhelming likelihood is that public opinion will never be swayed such that one or other side is in a dominant position unless the EU itself ceases to exist which although possible is highly unlikely.

 

Meanwhile the country stagnates while politics is dominated by self serving careerists only interested in being re-elected.

 

At least Sarah Olney, Tim Farron and the Liberal Democrats have a clearly articulated position and are campaigning on it.

[Expatwannabee]

1 hour ago, RuamRudy said:

 

Of course, but I am tired of Brexiter indignation that the will of the country is somehow being dismissed.

Brexiters won the vote but they do not reflect the mood of the majority of the country.

You are right in what you say but this is British politics. Because many do not vote and our outdated first past the post system Governments are often in power but with as little as 25% of the total maximum vote. Nobody says this is undemocratic (though many feel it is a very flawed system). The referendum was not first past the post obviously but the fact that 37% of the voted won the day shows how many could not be bothered.

[KBsinter]

Lived in Richmond for 30 yrs, always surprised how

Liberal  folks were/ are there could never figure it

out,very "well off" area.............lol 

[JAG]

Ah, another "Liberal revival" based on a by election result.

 

Used to happen about every six months when I was a lad...........

[geriatrickid]

3 hours ago, Loeilad said:

The tories fear an election, but with a newly appointed PM a remainer pushing for a leave deal in a country that now appears to be against leaving who doesn't want to lose her unexpected position it will be hard to achieve.

 

Goldsmith was fighting in his heartland on a NIMBY ticket which was overshadowed by an anti-Brexit vote who preferred a candidate with no political history from previously lame duck party who overturned a 23k majority....that is some angry protest.

 

I think it is fairly clear that any general election would now kick out Brexit for good. .... but Theresa may would lose her premiership - the things people will do to hold on to power - openly support a policy they were against.

 

There was no Tory majority to overturn as no Tory ran. Goldsmith was an Independent.

[geriatrickid]

39 minutes ago, JAG said:

Ah, another "Liberal revival" based on a by election result.

 

Used to happen about every six months when I was a lad...........

 

It provided  false hope that things could be different. 

[baansgr]

2 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

 

Totally incorrect: only 37% of the British electorate voted to leave. The majority voted to remain or did not vote at all.

I am not disputing that more voted for than against, but it is wrong to say that they majority of Brits support Brexit. Clearly they don't.

The majority voted to leave or did not vote at all, the minority voted to remain or did not vote at all.

I am not disputing that more voted for than against, but it is wrong to say that they majority of Brits support staying. Clearly they don't

Edited December 3, 2016 by baansgr

[JAG]

1 minute ago, geriatrickid said:

 

It provided  false hope that things could be different. 

 

When they finally got into government it wasn't that different was it?

 

[robertson468]

3 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

 

Totally incorrect: only 37% of the British electorate voted to leave. The majority voted to remain or did not vote at all.

I am not disputing that more voted for than against, but it is wrong to say that they majority of Brits support Brexit. Clearly they don't.

Okay, so the majority of those who voted, voted to leave.  Feel better?  Because those that didn't vote either didn't have an opinion, or are prepared to follow the majority.  Either way, of those who care, more said LEAVE THE EU.  That kind of sounds like democracy to me.  Apart from which this is but one constituency voting for their local MP.  As we know from the last election the National Results are far different from the local results.

[SaintLouisBlues]

5 minutes ago, robertson468 said:

Okay, so the majority of those who voted, voted to leave.  Feel better?  Because those that didn't vote either didn't have an opinion, or are prepared to follow the majority.  Either way, of those who care, more said LEAVE THE EU.  That kind of sounds like democracy to me.  Apart from which this is but one constituency voting for their local MP.  As we know from the last election the National Results are far different from the local results.

There is the ATFH option

[Loeilad]

1 hour ago, geriatrickid said:

 

There was no Tory majority to overturn as no Tory ran. Goldsmith was an Independent.

I think you should first look into the background of that constituency before making a facile comment like that.

[Khun Han]

7 hours ago, SheungWan said:

 

Labour scored less votes than the number of registered Labour Party members in the constituency. Labour voters clearly adopted tactical voting to defeat Goldsmith, which will be a worry for Labour in any future by-elections where Lib-Dems can upset a Tory incumbent.

 

Labour fielded an anti-Corbyn candidate. You don't think that played a part in splitting their vote?

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, ukrules said:

This is one of the areas where a large majority of people voted to remain in the EU (70% apparently), they don't want any kind of EU exit in that area.

 

The rest of the country feels differently and they don't like it which is a shame but they will get used to it.

 

Something like marriage?

[SheungWan]

39 minutes ago, Khun Han said:

 

Labour fielded an anti-Corbyn candidate. You don't think that played a part in splitting their vote?

 

A great question if coming from the Monster Raving Loony Party.

[dick dasterdly]

6 hours ago, rockingrobin said:

An MP with a mandate to oppose Brexit

In a constituency that (strongly) voted remain in the referendum....

 

Not sure why its a "shock" that a strongly remain constituency voted for a remain candidate?