Yes Haystack, any newcomer party has a big mountain to climb.
Altho, if results like this crop up, UKIP may actually get some seats, people are pissed off with more of the same from the 3 major parties.
Eastleigh by-election result
02.19 Liberal Democrats have won the seat with 13352 votes. The Conservatives have been knocked into third place by UKIP.
Here are the results in full:
Mike Thornton (LD) 13,342 (32.06%, -14.48%)
Diane James (UKIP) 11,571 (27.80%, +24.20%)
Maria Hutchings (Con) 10,559 (25.37%, -13.96%)
John O'Farrell (Lab) 4,088 (9.82%, +0.22%)
Danny Stupple (Ind) 768 (1.85%, +1.56%)
Dr Iain Maclennan (NHA) 392 (0.94%)
Ray Hall (Beer) 235 (0.56%)
Kevin Milburn (Christian) 163 (0.39%)
Howling Laud Hope (Loony) 136 (0.33%)
Jim Duggan (Peace) 128 (0.31%)
David Bishop (Elvis) 72 (0.17%)
Michael Walters (Eng Dem) 70 (0.17%, -0.30%)
Daz Procter (TUSC) 62 (0.15%)
Colin Bex (Wessex Reg) 30 (0.07%)
Liberal Democrat majority: 1,771 (4.26%)
Swing: 19.34% Liberal Democrat to UKIP
Electorate: 79,004 Turnout: 41,616 (52.68%, -16.61%)
This is the result last time around in 2010:
Huhne (LD) 24,966 (46.53%)
Hutchings (C) 21,102 (39.33%)
Barraclough (Lab) 5,153 (9.60%)
Finch (UKIP) 1,933 (3.60%)
Pewsey (Eng Dem) 249 (0.46%)
Stone (Ind) 154 (0.29%)
Low (Nat Lib) 93
Liberal Democrat majority 3,864 (7.20%) Turnout 53,650 (69.28%)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/byelection/9901479/Eastleigh-by-election-result-live.html