Labour fails to defend a seat in a by-election for the first time in over 30 years as they lose to the Liberal Democrats. This has to have Blair quaking a bit, considering this is one of the safest seats for them. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3123378.stm
Mid-term defeats in local parliamentary elections are very common. The swing (29%) is pretty astounding thought, it has to be said. Blair is safe from anyone other than his own party though. Neither the Lib Dems nor the Tories (chortle) are going to do irreperable damage to his overall majority in 2005.