Tories thump UKIP to retain Sleaford in byelection

Britain's ruling Conservative Party retained its Sleaford and North Hykeham seat in a by-election on Thursday, easily fending off the challenge from UKIP in another contest dominated by the impact of Brexit.

The seat became vacant after sitting MP Stephen Phillips resigned in protest at the government's refusal to consult parliament on its plans to leave the EU after June's referendum.

Local Conservative Caroline Johnson (pictured, left) was victorious with a healthy majority of 17,570 votes, leaving the UKIP candidate Victoria Ayling a distant second with 4,426. In a major embarrassment, the main opposition Labour Party finished fourth behind the Liberal Democrats, having been second at the last General Election.

Turnout was poor at only 37%.

Senior Labour MP Vernon Coaker said the focus on Brexit had damaged the party's hopes of making inroads in the Conservative's majority.

“Clearly for us, this was not the result we might have hoped for. It was a difficult seat. Let’s remember this is a safe Tory seat, Ukip came here expecting to do much better than they did so it’s a bad result for them,” the Guardian reported.

“The challenge for us was because of Brexit. Everything was about Brexit. The messages about the A&E, the NHS, the messages about infrastructure, all of that got lost to an extent in the swirl around Brexit.”

The nightmare for Labour was put into sharp perspective when former Conservative finance minister George Osborne said: “The disintegration of the Labour Party is not good for democracy. Oppositions are meant to try to win by-elections, not slip from 2nd to 4th.”