Crushing by-election defeat sparking possible leadership crisis?

[-:Undertaker:-]

BBC News: Norwich North

A senior Labour MP has hit out at Prime Minister Gordon Brown in the wake of the crushing Norwich North by-election defeat at the hands of the Tories. Conservative Chloe Smith overturned a comfortable Labour majority to win by more than 7,000 votes. It prompted Barry Sheerman - once a loyal government supporter - to call on Labour MPs to think seriously about who leads the party into the next election.

Former home secretary Charles Clarke blamed the PM for the election defeat. Writing in the Independent, the MP for neighbouring Norwich South accused both Mr Brown and Tory leader David Cameron of abandoning "fairness" and "denigrating" their MPs over the Parliamentary expenses scandal.

Norwich North by-election results


Chloe Smith is youngest MP ever I think, or is youngest at the moment anyway to enter the House of Commons so congratulations to her. I, as a Conservative supporter are obviously glad but am also very glad as a UKIP supporter for the incredibly amount of support they have recieved in this election, who knows maybe in a year or two we'll start seeing UKIP MPs.

I don't think Gordon Brown will go now though, many are saying he has until autumn to turn things around for ther Labour Party but it isn't looking good, do you think he should stay or go whether you support Labour or not?

[Kardan]

So Labour lost one seat and people want Brown to go now?

I'm not an expert on politics, but surely that's not much considering there's plenty of more important things that Labour have to worry about such as the financial crisis and swine flu than one by-election

[-:Undertaker:-]

It isn't, but considering the Conservatives over the past few decades have only won a couple of by-elections compared to Labour it isn't looking good for Labour and Gordon Brown, I read that if this was projected across the United Kingdom the Conservatives would enter office with a majority of 100 to 190 seats more than Labour.

Anything can bring a leader down in politics, at the end of the day the leader can be replaced but the party still wants to stay in office, if it has to remove the leader to do that then it will.

[scottish]

thought you were UKIP, make ur mind up.

[-:Undertaker:-]

thought you were UKIP, make ur mind up.

Chloe Smith is youngest MP ever I think, or is youngest at the moment anyway to enter the House of Commons so congratulations to her. I, as a Conservative supporter are obviously glad but am also very glad as a UKIP supporter for the incredibly amount of support they have recieved in this election, who knows maybe in a year or two we'll start seeing UKIP MPs.

...as I said before.

[scottish]

Ah, okay never read, hardly read your posts fully. Hopefully won't be seeing ukip mps/in power within my life time anyways.

Labour ftw.

[Jamesy]

It was quite amazing how much effort the conservatives and UKIP put into the election round here than the others.

The most I saw of labour was their headquarters near where my dad works.

[GommeInc]

It was quite amazing how much effort the conservatives and UKIP put into the election round here than the others.

The most I saw of labour was their headquarters near where my dad works.

They are a bit lazy lately :S BBC Look East went on and on about the Norwich by-election and from what I saw, they hid away. I know Labour have a few things on their plate, but it's not good practice to pull out from stuff like this when there is no reason to... It's a government, not a small council. Whena teacher is sick at school, the whole school doesn't focus on a few tiny things, they just carry on working spreading the word load.

It's very odd how Labour are working now :S Although Chloe Smith has been the favourite to win.