Quotes About Byelections

We Conservatives need to be practical and consistent, not to over-promise. This makes byelections more difficult, but general elections winnable.

In the 1990s, the Lib Dems won a string of byelections at the expense of struggling Conservative governments. Christchurch, Ribble Valley and Eastbourne went straight back to the Tories at the next general election, but the Lib Dems held their later byelection gains - Eastleigh, Newbury and Romsey - in at least two subsequent general elections.