Crosby By-Election: local reaction

Title

Crosby By-Election: local reaction

Transmission details

27 Nov 1981 at 08:00

Description

The Social Democratic/Liberal alliance is celebrating this morning, following Shirley Williams resounding success in the Crosby by-election. Mrs Williams, who lost her Stevenage seat as a Labour candidate in the last general election, overturned a Conservative Majority of 19 thousand to become Britain’s first elected Social Democratic member of Parliament. She finished over five thousand votes ahead of Conservative, John Butcher, while Labour’s John Backhouse lost his deposit. Pradeep Moheelee, Chairman of the West Reading branch of the’S.D.P. is obviously overjoyed by the result. And Jim Day, leader of the Liberal Group on Berkshire County Council, and Liberal prospective parliamentary candidate for Reading North, says if they can maintain this sort of momentum, then they will sweep to power in future elections. But Reading North MP, Tony Durant, who had the smallest majority of any of the local Tory MPs at the last general election, is not overly worried by the Crosby result. He says it was a victory for Mrs Williams personality, not her party’s policies. And Mr Durant’s view is echoed by Gareth Gimblett, the Conservative group leader on the county council, who thinks the alliance’s success could be short lived. And Labour group leader, Alan Furley, while disappointed his party lost their deposit, does not think too much should be read into the Crosby result, and is confident Mrs Williams victory will not be repeated in either local or general elections. But he says Labour will have to work harder to regain the voters confidence. [Box 5]

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Duration

00:08:20

Notes

NB pause at approx 4 mins; old recording at end.

Misc. notes

Single Track

Production company

Radio 210

Extent

1 tape

Credits

Interviewees

Tony Durant; Shirley Williams; Pradeep Moheelee; Jim Day; Gareth Gimblett; Alan Furley