Liberal Democrat candidate Martin Newton has scored a sensational victory in the Fortis Green by-election. The party retained its Council seat with a greatly increased majority, and has ended the year with a hat-trick of by-election victories following their dramatic success in Stroud Green and Muswell Hill earlier in the year.

Labour scored their worst ever share of the vote in any ward election in living memory – even lower than their share in Muswell Hill earlier in the year. The result was also terrible news for the Tories, with four out of ten of their voters deserting the party.

The Lib Dems 58% of the vote will be yet another blow to Haringey Labour, which is now in a neck-and-neck battle with the Liberal Democrats for the Hornsey and Wood Green Parliamentary seat.The 14% swing from Labour, if repeated next year, would be more than enough for the party to secure a dramatic victory in the constituency.

Lib Dem candidate Martin Newton put down his success to the hard work of the Lib Dem team in the area over the past two years, and the party’s positive campaign on key local issues, such as the reopening of the Muswell Hill police station front counter, and the campaign to secure a full timetable on the 603 bus route from Muswell Hill to Swiss Cottage.

Cllr Martin Newton comments:

“I am absolutely delighted that we have secured such an emphatic victory, and I’m looking forward to serving the people of Fortis Green as their local councillor. Local people responded extremely enthusiastically to our campaign. I would like to thank everyone for their support yesterday.”

Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson, Cllr Lynne Featherstone, adds:

“I am thrilled with this result, which bodes extremely well for the General Election. In three by-elections this year, local people have signalled that they are fed up with Labour, and the Conservatives have sunk without a trace. I know we can build on this marvellous result in future campaigns.”

Full Fortis Green result

Martin Newton, Lib Dem 1,345 (58%, +19%)
Tories 550 (24%, -5%)
Labour 298 (13%, -8%)
Green 136 (6%, -5%)
Majority: 795

Swing:

Lab to LD: 14%
Con to LD: 12%

Total votes in all three by-elections this year (Stroud Green, Muswell Hill and Fortis Green):

Lib Dem 4,219 (61%)
Labour 1,027 (15%)
Tory 994 (14%)
Green 703 (10%)