'Doesn’t change anything’ - Tories mock Lib Dems over Richmond Park win
JUBILANT Lib Dems were mocked for claiming their first by-election victory for more than a decade would sway the march against Brexit.
Sarah Olney won the Richmond Park seat against Zac Goldsmith
Leader Tim Farron said the Richmond Park result was a “historic moment for the country” and said it proved voters did not want a so-called “hard” Brexit.
He repeated his demand for a rerun of the referendum over the eventual Brexit deal.
But Conservatives and others said the result would make no difference.
'A promise made, a promise kept' Zac Goldsmith's Richmond defeat
One extra Lib Dem doesn’t change very much at all
The contest in the affluent south-west London seat was caused when Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith carried out his pledge to quit if the Government backed building a third runway at Heathrow airport. He stood for re-election as an independent.
Pro-EU Lib Dem newcomer Sarah Olney also opposed the third runway and sought to turn the election into a fight on Brexit.
A massive campaign effort by the Lib Dems was rewarded with news that accountant Ms Olney had demolished Mr Goldsmith’s 2015 majority of more than 23,000 to beat him by 1,872 votes.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron was ‘gloating’ over Richmond Park win
Lib Dem leader Mr Farron claimed the win showed “moderate progressive” politics could win and Britain did not have to resign itself to “a generation of Tory rule”.
But he said it was also a verdict on the “Ukip-ish” approach to Brexit he said was being adopted by Mrs May, who should now listen “to very worried Conservative MPs who have Liberal Democrats breathing down their necks in dozens of seats”.
A Conservative Party spokesman insisted the result did not affect either its plans for Heathrow or Brexit, adding: “This result doesn’t change anything.”
Zac Goldsmith stood down as a conservative and ran independently for the Richmond Park seat
Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “I think the Lib Dems are quite good at winning by-elections but that doesn’t lead to fundamental change in the political firmament.
“They are not going to be able to force a second referendum.
“One extra Lib Dem doesn’t change very much at all.”