THE Conservatives clung on to their Eddisbury seat last Thursday, despite Labour fighting its most intense by-election campaign in the current parliament.

Tory candidate Stephen O'Brien won the seat - which had been made vacant by Sir Alastair Goodlad's promotion to the position of High Commissioner for Australia - with 15,465 votes, giving him a narrow victory margin of 1,606 votes.

Labour's Margaret Hanson followed close behind with 13,859 votes, while Liberal Democrat candidate Paul Roberts was a distant third with 4,757.

Immediately after his victory, Mr O'Brien claimed that the verdict proved that people feel "let down" by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mr O'Brien said he was "delighted and absolutely thrilled" to have the opportunity to serve the people of Eddisbury, and he added that Labour had fought a campaign full of dirty tricks.

Speaking from his new constituency office in Tarporley, Mr O'Brien said: "My opponents chose to fight a very negative campaign and a battle on the basis of completely unfounded allegations.

"The people of Eddisbury have shown by their verdict that's not the type of thing they like.

"My election sends a very strong message to this Labour Government that they are not listening to the farmers, the village post office and shop owners, and they are making those that live in the country the victims of the ever-rising fuel prices.

"So the first job is to get down to my constituents' work. I will also be honouring my very solemn pledge to move to the constituency with my family - my wife Gemma, three children, aged 11, nine and six, and our pet labrador, Milly."

Tory leader William Hague congratulated the new MP on his victory just minutes after the result was announced in the early hours of Friday morning at Winsford Civic Hall.

"I received a telephone call from William," Mr O'Brien explained. "He telephoned me shortly afterwards to congratulate me. He sounded very lively and extremely pleased."

Referring to the disruptions at Tony Blair's rally in Winsford shopping centre the day before the election, Mr O'Brien said: "William Hague was in the constituency the day before Mr Blair.

"He made a speech to hundreds of people from all walks of life - farmers, children, rural shop owners and people from all the towns and villages. He had a rapturous reception.

"In stark contrast, I understand Blair flew in to Winsford for 12 minutes and, from these very same farmers, he received a hostile reception."

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