The Eastleigh by-election has resulted in a victory for the Liberal Democrat candidate, Mike Thornton, who conquered the Hampshire constituency for his party by 1771 votes. What has attracted eyeballs, however, is the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)’s stunning performance in the Eastleigh by-election. The UKIP candidate, Diane James, pushed the Conservative candidate, Maria Hutchings, to the third position. Diane James acquired 11571 votes, on a 19.3% swing from the Lib Dems, while the Tory Maria Hutchings received 10559 votes, which was a 14% reduction compared with her vote share at the 2010 general election.

Mike Thornton, a parish and borough councillor since 2007, has voiced that the Eastleigh by-election result demonstrates that the people there have faith in the Lib Dems. The Eastleigh residents acknowledge that the Lib Dems have always had an excellent record of delivery and that the party hears the aspirations of the people. As an MP, Mike Thornton expressed that his foremost priority would be to attract investment to the area. His business background will assist him in this endeavour, assessed the new Eastleigh MP.

Regarding the Eastleigh by-election result, the UKIP leader, Nigel Farage, remarked that the UKIP’s performance was not freakish. The Conservative Party has refused to attach much importance to the UKIP performance in the Eastleigh by-election, labelling it a protest vote.

The UKIP performance in the Eastleigh by-election, nonetheless, represents the most superlative performance of the party in a Westminster poll. It is being interpreted as a sign of the people in the UK becoming increasingly receptive to anti-immigration talk and relaxation of rigid human rights provisions.

The Conservative Education Secretary, Michael Gove, has expressed that he was profoundly disappointed by the Eastleigh by-election result. As per the Education Secretary, some people in Eastleigh had voted for the UKIP, instead of the Lib Dems or the Tories, to despatch a message to the Coalition that these are difficult economic times and many people are feeling the economic pinch.

Michael Gove has remarked to the BBC that the Conservatives should not move more to the Right to tackle the UKIP at the 2015 general election. In accordance with Michael Gove, political parties, which alter policies in reaction to a by-election result, are inauthentic.