By-election voters punish coalition
Labour has won the Barnsley Central by-election as voters inflicted a crushing defeat on the coalition.
The Liberal Democrats slipped from second to a humiliating sixth place behind the Conservatives, the UK Independence Party, the BNP and an independent candidate.
It was also an embarrassing night for David Cameron, as the Tories were pushed into third place by Ukip, who polled 2,953 votes to the Conservatives' 1,999.
Labour candidate Dan Jarvis secured 14,724 votes, a majority of 11,771 – an increased vote share for the party in the Labour stronghold.
Lib Dem president Tim Farron said: "It was a poor result for us. It was a poor result for the Tories. The coalition parties didn't do very well here. Surprise, surprise."
"Dan Jarvis will be a good MP, I'm sure, and it would be churlish not to congratulate him.
The constituency's new MP said of his victory: "The people of Barnsley Central are sending the strongest possible message to David Cameron and Nick Clegg.
"Your reckless policies, your broken promises and your unfair cuts are letting our country down."
In the Commons today MPs will debate private members bills, beginning with Jonathan Lord's Sports Grounds Safety Authority Bill and Greg Knight's Estates of Deceased Persons (Forfeiture Rule and Law of Succession) Bill.
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