Bromley swing would see Liberal Democrats win in Bedford

The Conservatives only just retained their seventeenth safest seat in the country with a tiny 633 majority, despite a huge swing to the Liberal Democrats from both the Conservatives and Labour. A swing repeated in Bedford would see the Liberal Democrats gain the Parliamentary seat at the next General Election.

The decrease in the Conservative vote is the worst by-election result for the Conservative party in a Tory held seat since Wirral South in February 1997 - the last days of the John Major premiership. Labour was beaten into fourth place.

The BBC called it "a stunning result", "a very bad night for David Cameron" and a "very, very good night for the Liberal Democrats".

Sir Menzies Campbell MP said: "This is a stupendous result for the Liberal Democrats in one of the safest Conservative seats in the country. It shows that there is no confidence in Cameron's Tories in the Conservative heartlands. "Together with the results in Wales there has been a complete rejection of the Labour government following upon the Liberal Democrat success in Dunfermline earlier this year. "Liberal Democrats are now challenging both Labour and the Conservatives, even in their heartlands."

Speaking on this morning's BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Conservative party chairman Francis Maude said: "I think it is a bit of a wake-up call for us - that we've got a long way further to go.

The Bromley and Chislehurst by-election result in full:

Ben Abbotts (Liberal Democrat): 10,988 (37.7% - up 17%)

English Democrats Party: 212

National Front: 476

UK Independence Party: 2,347 (8.1% - up 5%)

Monster Raving Loony Party: 132

Green Party: 811

Nick Hadziannis: 65

John Hemming-Clarke: 442

Labour: 1,925 (6.6% - down 15%)

Conservative: 11,629 (39.9% - down 11%)

Money Reform Party: 33

Turnout: 40.5%

Swing: 14% Conservative to Lib Dem; 16% Labour to Lib Dem

There are more details at www.ben4bromley.org.uk