Bromley By-Election Swing Would Put Richard Burt In By 9,141 Votes In West Worcestershire

6.20.49pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 1st Jul 2006

Newly selected Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Richard Burt, has hailed last night's Bromley by-election as a "stupendous result for the Liberal Democrats" that would result in a 9,141 Liberal Democrat majority if the swing against the Conservatives was repeated in West Worcestershire.

In an unexpected disaster for new Tory Leader David Cameron, the Conservative candidate, a barrister and freemason, only just retained their 17th safest seat in the country with a tiny 641 majority. The swing to the Liberal Democrats was 14.3% - a similar shift in the West Worcestershire constituency would send new Lib Dem candidate, Richard Burt to Westminster with a thumping 9,000 majority, assuming a similar turnout of voters as in 2005.

The fall in the Conservative vote in Bromley of 11% id the worst by-election result for the Conservative party in a Tory held seat since Wirral South in February 1997 - back in the dying days of the Major government.

Richard Burt said: "This shock result will be a rude awakening for David Cameron, who until recently had predicted that he had turned around Tory fortunes. The Cameron bubble has well and truly bust and this is also a big boost for Ming Campbell. I look forward to a vigorous campaign in West Worcestershire, whoever is selected by the Conservatives."