- guardian.co.uk, Friday November 24 2000 03.29 GMT
In a depressingly low turnout of 27.6% on a wet day in the West Midlands, Adrian Bailey, a former librarian and deputy leader of local Sandwell council, held on to the seat with a majority of 3,232 over a fellow councillor, Tory Karen Bissell.
Labour had 9,640 votes, more than half the total cast, the Tory candidate 6,408, the Lib Dems took 1,791, the British National Party just 794, despite a strong local council showing in May. The UK Independence party, now in internal disarray, won 246.
With two other byelections results also due early today, Labour had been expected to hold West Bromwich West, Preston and Anniesland in Glasgow where both of the late Donald Dewar's seats, as a Westminster MP and Scottish MSP, were at stake.
But the row over fuel prices and this week's battle over the EU rapid reaction force made ministers nervous that heartland disaffection might produce a surprise. The persistent presence of the British National party, added to those jitters.
Full result: Adrian Bailey (Lab) 9,640 (51.06%); Karen Bissell (C) 6,408 (33.94%); Sadie Smith (LD) 1,791 (9.49%); Nicholas Griffin (BNP) 794 (4.21%); Jonathan Oakton (UK Ind) 246 (1.30%). Lab maj 3,232 (17.12%) Electorate 68,409; Turnout 18,879 (27.60%, -26.77%) ;1997: Speaker maj 15,423 (42.03%) - Turnout 36,696 (54.37%) Boothroyd (Speaker) 23,969 (65.32%); Silvester (Lab Change) 8,546 (23.29%); Edwards (Nat Dem) 4,181 (11.39%)
