UKIP narrowly loses Heywood and Middleton by-election
UKIP has narrowly lost a by-election in the Labour seat of Heywood and Middleton.
Labour’s candidate Liz McInne managed to hold the traditionally safe Labour seat by a majority of just 617, with 11,633 votes compared to UKIP candidate John Bickley’s 11,016.
The result was so close between the two candidates that a recount was ordered to verify the results – but Ms McInne was eventually elected as a Member of Parliament.
The late Labour MP Mr Dobbin, who entered Parliament in 1997, was one of 14 Labour MPs to vote against same-sex marriage last year.
During his time as an MP he also voted against or abstained on civil partnerships, the Equality Act, the repeal of Section 28, and adoption rights for same-sex couples.
Mr Dobbin said of same-sex marriage last year: “I think MPs who voted for this change will rue the day they did so.
“It is going to have far-reaching ramifications right across British society.
“For example, what sort of effect will this have on generations of children who will now have to be taught that men can marry men as well as women at a young age?
“A lot of MPs who voted for this did so on a mistaken idea of equality. I am all in favour of equality, but this bill mistook uniformity to mean equality.”
Elsewhere tonight, Douglas Carswell was elected as UKIP’s first ever Member of Parliament in Clacton.
