Lib Dems set for historic win in Brent East by-election

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 18th Sep 2003

Today is polling day in Brent East in North London and it's the Liberal Democrat's Sarah Teather who is setting the pace in this formerly safe Labour seat. The Conservative candidate has already admitted that she cannot win and has been described in the national press as throwing in the towel. Labour's Robert Evans has not impressed voters, deciding not to make the journey from Surrey to defend Tony Blair in a public meeting on Iraq. Commenting on the by-election Totnes Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson, Mike Treleaven said:

' This election is going to be a very close run thing. The electors of Brent East understand that in Sarah they have an excellent, hard working candidate who, if elected, will really make a difference, as Liberal Democrat MPs constantly prove in constituencies all over the country. The Conservatives are in their usual disarray with the candidate admitting defeat early on in the campaign and, to quote the Sunday Express ' ..the by-election looks set to be a Tory humiliation'. As for Labour, well the word on the streets has been disillusionment with Tony Blair and his Government which is likely to be reflected at the polls.

He continued:

' We are in for an exciting night ahead with the result likely to be very close. One thing seems almost certain though - the Tories will have a disaster which will send them further into turmoil and which, if repeated in the Totnes Constituency would ensure a Liberal Democrat victory'