Lib Dems Win

7.18.49pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 16th Dec 2005

LibDems win High Barnet council seat

LibDem win could upset balance of power as yet another Tory quits

Congratulations to High Barnet's winning candidate

Councillor Duncan MacDonald.

Barnet Liberal Democrats are celebrating a decisive by-election win in a ward they were targeting for 2006. Last night's result saw Lib Dem Duncan MacDonald snatch the former Tory seat In High Barnet in the final by-election before next May's vital council elections across London. Tower Hamlets group leader Cllr Janet Ludlow said it was a fantastic result that proved the Liberal Democrats could win all across London.

But the result could prove more than just uncomfortable for new Tory leader David Cameron. Earlier in the week, another Tory councillor resigned after losing out in an internal power struggle over selection for next May's elections. Together with yesterday's Lib Dem triumph, Barnet Tories are now down to 31 seats, which matches the combined total of Lib Dem and Labour councillors. News reports say that the Tory group may have to rely on the votes of three of their members who have not being reselected - one indeed has talked about continuing as an independent.

The by-election was won by Barnet's Lib Dem team after they made the right decision early on. They sought and followed the advice of campaigns officer Mark Pack - no stranger to winning elections, most recently for new London LibDem MP Lynne Featherstone. Following Mark's advice meant weeks of hard slog across the High Barnet ward. Eight editions of FOCUS and sackloads of targeted mail to many different groups of voters meant that the party message was heard loud and clear and often.

Sean Hooker, local Barnet councillor and chair of London Region Liberal Democrats said "I still can't believe it. It's fantastic! We thought we were behind when we saw the postal vote results, but Mark Pack told us to put out yet another leaflet, so we did! We "followed the book" and did what we were were told needed doing, and just look at the result."

Pete Dollimore, chair of the Region's Campaigns Committee said "The Barnet team worked incredibly hard in what is probably one of the largest wards in London -some 12,000 voters. They had some great help too from right across London - and by goodness they needed it. They estimate that well over 50,000 pieces of paper have been delivered! This is a fantastic result and it proves the old adage: "Where we work we win!"

The result:

Liberal Democrat Duncan MacDonald 1409

Conservative 1295

Labour 354

Green 89

Independent 26

Majority 114

Turn out 30%