British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair suffered a damaging electoral defeat today at the first popular vote since his government's crisis over war on Iraq.
The north London seat of Brent East, whose member of parliament Mr Paul Daisley died earlier this year, should have been iron-clad for Labour Party, which has held it for years.
But in a stunning reverse, the count early this morning showed victory for Liberal Democrat Ms Sarah Teather. Britain's third party had opposed the Iraq war.
Mr Daisley won at the 2001 election with 63 per cent of the vote and a majority of over 13,000. Ms Teather won a majority of 1,118. She becomes the youngest member of parliament, aged just 29.
Mr Blair had not previously lost a by-election seat held by his party since taking power in 1997.
On the face of it, a marginal reduction in Mr Blair's huge 165-seat parliamentary majority looks inconsequential, but the political damage to the prime minister may be heavy at a time when opinion polls show most Britons no longer trust him.
Government scientist Dr David Kelly died in July after he was exposed as the source of a BBC report accusing the government of hyping the case for war to win over skeptical Britons.
Mr Blair's public trust ratings have since evaporated, with most Britons doubting the case he made for attacking Iraq and many blaming his administration for Dr Kelly's death.