ROCHESTER, United Kingdom – UKIP look set to win an historic second Westminster by-election when the polls close in Rochester and Stood at 10pm tonight. Despite being ahead in the opinion polls throughout the campaign, Mark Reckless has faced a concerted campaign by the Conservatives to hold the seat.
Whilst the high command of both parties have remained tight lipped about their chances Breitbart London understands UKIP are expecting an eight percent lead. Local activists have said they expect the two parties to be neck and neck in Rochester but UKIP are thought to be winning Strood convincingly.
Conservative whips had published a list of their own MPs that had failed to show up to the Rochester. The list included a number of ministers, but today there were a large number of Conservative MPs including the veteran right-winger Andrew Rosindell (Con, Romford).
Ahead of polls closing a relaxed Nigel Farage went for drink in the The Chequers pub in Hoo, a small village on the outskirts of the constituency. He then travelled to the shop on Rochester High Street that has asked customers to vote for their favourite party by putting traditional sweets into a jar marked for each party.
The results of the poll were: UKIP 44 percent, Conservatives 31 percent, Labour 14 percent, Greens 7 percent, Liberal Democrats and others were both on 2 percent. Allowing for a margin of error this result is broadly in-line with the opinion polls, that said Reckless would win by 12 percent.
All the talk amongst activists was whether any other Conservative MPs might defect before the election. Nigel Farage said: “Well we will have to see what the result is tonight, but if it goes our way I’m sure a number of MPs will sit back and ask themselves whether they are better with us.”
The by-election was forced when Mark Reckless defected to UKIP and resigned his seat in the House of Commons. If he is elected he will join Douglas Carswell who took the same step a few weeks before him. He has already been re-elected in Clacton.
Despite the bad news for the Conservatives they are still privately predicting they will retake the seat at the general election next year. One local man walked the high street today with a sign that he claimed summarised the mood of the voting public in Rochester, many of whom have been bombarded with dozens of leaflets and multiple visits from politicians (pictured).
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