In article , 
T.C.Roll-Pickering@qmul.ac.uk (Tim Roll-Pickering) wrote:

> It possibly shows a split between "main parties" and the usual 
> "others", what are emerging as the main "other others" and the 
> insignificance of the "other other others".
> 
> There was a time when the Monster Raving Loonies regularly did so 
> well in by-elections that they were the main "anti main parties" 
> vote and some of the "others" (UKIP, Green, BNP) would sit out some 
> by-elections rather than risk been Bootled. Now the OMRLP has 
> shrunk to an insignificant force even in by-elections amidst a 
> plethora of fringe parties.

I have a feeling the media may be drawing more conclusions on the 
non-Westminster parties from one byelection than warranted.

I'm sure UKIP were fuelled by their regional success in the Euro-elections 
on 4 June. They certainly put a lot of effort into the byelection, with 
more leaflets and other spend than the Greens.

The Greens certainly should have done well - Norwich was one of the three 
places in the country they "won" in the 4 June Euro-elections (with just 
under 25% of the vote), and they won a swathe of County Council seats in 
the constituency at the same time. From that perspective I find the Green 
performance surprisingly bad, even though it is their best ever in a 
byelection.

-- 
Cllr. Colin Rosenstiel
Cambridge                    http://www.rosenstiel.co.uk/
Cambridge Liberal Democrats: http://www.cambridgelibdems.org.uk/