Liberal Democrats WIN Dunfermline By Election

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 9th Feb 2006

relegates David Cameron's Conservative Party to fourth in his first major electoral test since becoming Conservative leader.

The full result was:

Willie Rennie Liberal Democrat - 12,391

Tony Blair New Labour Party - 10,591

Scottish National Party - 7,261

Cameron's Conservatives - 2,702

The result has stunned Labour and relegates David Cameron's Conservative Party to fourth in his first major electoral test since becoming Conservative leader. The result was the worst Conservative Parliamentary by-election result for 8 years (while Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard led the Party).

Willie Rennie, the Liberal Democrat victor said:

"I would like to thank the people of Dunfermline and West Fife for the trust that they have shown in me personally - and in the Liberal Democrats. Tonight they have sent a powerful message to the Labour Government. It is time that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown both got that message."

Willie added:

"There are messages tonight for all the major parties. The Liberal Democrat message that we want a fairer, greener and more democratic society - is one that wins widespread appeal.

"Labour has lost the confidence of people who supported them for generations. People want a change - but they do not want to go back to the Conservatives. This by-election has shown that the Conservatives are irrelevant in much of Britain. This is a terrible result for David Cameron - the Conservatives continue to decline.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have increased their vote in each of the last three General Elections and won 11 of the 59 seats in 2005.

The by-election has proved that the residents of Dunfermline and West Fife preferred what Willie Rennie and the Liberal Democrats had to say on the key issues of the Labour's record on health and education, pension provision and Iraq