Leicester South by-election, 2004

A by-election was held in Leicester South on July 15, the same day as the Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election. It was won by Parmjit Singh Gill of the Liberal Democrats, over-turning a Labour majority of 13,243 votes at the 2001 General Election.

The MP for Leicester South, Jim Marshall, from the Labour Party died on May 27, 2004, shortly before the local and European elections in June.

The seat was first won by Marshall in 1974. He lost it to the Conservative Party candidate, Derek Spencer, in the 1983 general election by 7 votes, but won it back at the 1987 election. Marshall had a large personal vote, and both the Liberal Democrat and Conservative Parties targeted the seat at the 2004 by-election. At the 2005 general election, the Liberal Democrats were unable to retain the seat and Peter Soulsby became Leicester South's MP.

The constituency is diverse, covering leafy suburbs such as Stoneygate and Knighton along with inner city areas with a strong Asian community.

Results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Parmjit Singh Gill
votes = 10,274
percentage = 34.9
change = 17.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Sir Peter Soulsby
votes = 8,620
percentage = 29.3
change = -25.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Chris Heaton-Harris
votes = 5,796
percentage = 19.7
change = -3.4Election box candidate with party link
party = RESPECT The Unity Coalition
candidate = Yvonne Ridley
votes = 3,724
percentage = 12.7
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Dave Roberts
votes = 263
percentage = 0.9
change = -0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Official Monster Raving Loony Party
candidate = R. U. Seerius
votes = 225
percentage = 0.8
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Independent - Save Our Schools
candidate = Pat Kennedy
votes = 204
percentage = 0.7
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Paul Lord
votes = 186
percentage = 0.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Independent (anti-EU)
candidate = Mark Edwin Benson
votes = 55
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Independent (yoga and meditation)
candidate = Jitendra Bardwaj
votes = 36
percentage = 0.1
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Conservative
candidate = Alan Gordon Barrett
votes = 25
percentage = 0.1
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 1,654
percentage = 5.6
change =Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 41.6
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Liberal Democrats (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing = 21% Lab to LD

2001 Result

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Jim Marshall
votes = 22,958
percentage = 54.5
change = -3.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Richard Hoile
votes = 9,715
percentage = 23.1
change = -0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Parmjit Singh Gill
votes = 7,243
percentage = 17.2
change = +3.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Margaret Layton
votes = 1,217
percentage = 2.9
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Arnie Gardner
votes = 676
percentage = 1.6
change =Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Kirti Ladwa
votes = 330
percentage = 0.8
change =Election box majority
votes = 13,243
percentage = 31.4
change =Election box turnout
votes = 42,139
percentage = 58.0
change =

External links

* [http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=132683&command=displayContent&sourceNode=132377&contentPK=10350594 Leicester Mercury article]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/3831255.stm BBC News article]