Great hilarity reading the "thank you" comments from the Labour candidate at the Henley by-election on his website :
"Not a great night for Labour, but no worse than the by-elections in Romsey and Winchester when Labour was 20 points in front in the polls. Another truly awful night, however, for the Liberal Democrats, who threw their full by-election machine at this one and didn't even come close. The mutterings against LibDem Leader Nick Clegg at Westminster will be a little louder today."
Reality check needed, I think.
The LibDem vote (9680) was UP on the general election by 1.3%.
The Labour vote (1066) was DOWN on the last general election by 11.6% and apart from being beaten by the LibDems and the Tories, Labour was humiliatingly beaten by the Greens and the BNP.
Labour now reminds me of the Callaghan government in 1979, limping to impending defeat. I doubt anyone will mourne the departure of Gordon Brown.