Liberal Democrat wins Highgate seat

12:57am Friday 7th March 2008

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Rachel Allison has been named the winner of the Highgate by-election in a landslide victory.

The Liberal Democrat was duly elected as the new councillor for the Highgate ward after she secured more than 50 per cent of the vote.

Council officers made the official announcement just after midnight confirming the number of votes she had won as 1,339.

In second place, with 725 votes, was Conservative candidate Peter Forrest - a former ward councillor in Highgate.

Ms Allison, of Claregate Road, replaces fellow Lib Dem Justin Portess following his resignation in January to start a family.

She said: "I'm honestly thrilled. I would like to say thank you to all those who voted for me. I will not let you down.

"Thank you to all the staff who worked so hard on the campaign. And thank you to my long-suffering husband in his role as spouse to a councillor."

Ms Allison's Six to fix" manifesto, outlining her top priorities as fighting to protect vital community services such as the post office, working to get more police on the streets and fairer parking measures oustide health services.

Lib Dem leader, Neil Williams, said he was "over the moon" with the result.

Hornsey and Wood Green MP, Lynne Featherstone, who attended the announcement at the Civic Centre, was also on hand to offer her congratulations.

Labour candidate, David Heath, came third with just 241 votes.

George Meehan, council leader, said: "David fought a good campaign and though we never expected to win, the number of votes suggests we are re-connecting with the Highgate electorate.

"If we had won I would have called Gordon Brown to tell him to call the general election tomorrow."

Independent candidate, Ralph Crisp, came fourth with 190 votes followed closely by Sarah Mitchell of the Green Party who won 138 votes.

The total number of votes cast was 2,633.