Lib Dems hail ‘best ever’ results

THE leader of Britain’s Liberal Democrats yesterday said he was “absolutely delighted” after his party took control of Newcastle.

Charles Kennedy said that the party’s local election performance was their best result ever.

Speaking at party HQ in central London, he said the Liberal Democrats’ predicted second place was “a dramatic advance” and “augurs very well indeed” for a general election.

“The general election is going to be much more a three-party contest. With us having challenged and seen off the Conservatives, we are now taking the fight to Labour in their heartlands in the North,” he said.

“The Lib Dems are emerging as an effective alternative to the government across huge swathes of the country. This is three-party politics writ large.”

Kennedy labelled his party’s historic victory in Newcastle, which ended 30 years of Labour rule, as “an emphatic triumph”.

To rapturous applause from the party faithful, Mr Kennedy said the result would send shock waves through Labour.

“Newcastle is the jewel in the crown in a region consisting of the Angel of the North. Iraq cast a long shadow over the elections across the country but I was particularly struck that it affected more the European elections than the local ones,” he added.