THE BRITISH Prime Minister, Mr Major, admitted he was "disappointed" yesterday by the Tories humiliating defeat in the Staffordshire South East by election, but insisted the government would still win the next general election.
As the Labour Party celebrated its victory by pledging that it would seek an early vote of confidence in the government, Mr Major said he was confident the Tories would win a fifth term of office, despite his majority being reduced to just one.
"I remember when many people consigned the government to oblivion after the Ribble Valley by election where the swing was the same. We went on to win the general election a year later with the largest popular vote ever. I am disappointed by the result but politics is not an easy ride. I am here to do what is right and stick with it," he added.
Whilst the Tories offered a variety of excuses for their defeat, the newly elected Labour MP, Mr Brian Jenkins, who secured a 13,762 majority surprising even party strategists, criticised the Conservative's negative campaign. "I just found it amazing. It wasn't a campaign you would normally expect from our local Conservatives. On several local issues they got caught out because people knew the true facts and when the Tories lied to them they knew you can't trust the Tories.
The Tory party chairman, Dr Brian Mawhinney, denied that the government's wafer thin majority would force Mr Major to call an autumn general election, but he admitted that the party was "ready to go" to the country early.
Dr Mawhinney blamed the Tories' poor showing on their supporters staying at home, despite a "high" turnout of just under 60 per cent.
"We still have a job to do, I've recognised that, there were a lot of Conservatives who did not come out to vote. This is not a government that is limping along. This is a government that day in day out has a sufficient majority to do the job that it was elected to do," he added.
The defeated Conservative candidate, Mr Jimmy James, pledged to regain the seat at the general election and insisted that he had fought a positive campaign. "It was a very considerable improvement over the Dudley by election, the most comparable by election, and we were up 10 percentage points. There was clearly a substantial stay at home factor. This is no way presages the result of the general election," he said.
Speaking whilst on his tour of the United States, Mr Blair stressed he would seek a vote of confidence in Mr Major at the earliest opportunity.
"Of course if the opportunity presents itself to remove this government then it is merely not an opportunity, it is our duty as the opposition to try and remove them. We will do that as soon as we possibly can," he said.
Mr Blair said the victory, which was the party's second best by election result since the second World War, proved that New Labour now occupied the centre ground of British politics and was trusted by the electorate.
"There are no no go areas for us. The Tories cannot dismiss, this as a protest vote or mid term blues. It is a rejection of the Tories, their record and their betrayal," he added.
The Liberal Democrat candidate, Ms Jennette Davy, came a poor third and lost her deposit, prompting suggestions that the party was prepared to do a pact with Labour. This was immediately denied by both parties.
Mr Nick Harvey MP, the Liberal Democrats campaigns chairman, insisted that the party had attempted to mobilise its support. But it had been clear all the way along, he said, that the second place candidate at the last election was "the one in the clear challenging position."
The results were: Labour, 26,155 votes (60.22 per cent, +22.05); Tory 12,393 (28.53, -22.13); LD 2,042 (4.70, -4.92); -UK Independence 1,206 (2.78 per cent); Official Monster Raving Loony Party 506 (1.17); National Democrat 358 (0.82); Liberal 332 (0.76); Churchill 123 (0.28); Official News Bunny Party 85 (0.20); Daily Loonylugs Earing Up The World 80 (0.18); Action Against Crime Life Means Life 53 (0.12); Natural Law Party 53 (0.12): Democratic Restoration of the Death Penalty 45 (0.10). Electorate 72,116; Turnout 43,431 (60.22 per cent, -21.84 per cent on 1992).