The British anti-European party UKIP led by Nigel Farage is topping opinion polls in Thursday’s Rochester and Strood by-election. The ballot was called as the sitting MP Mark Reckless defected from the Conservatives to UKIP. The party won its first elected seat in Westminster last month.
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The Conservatives have thrown their weight behind candidate Kelly Tolhurst but she lags behind in the polls, while the opposition left-wing Labour party which once controlled much of the constituency is also trailing.
A victory for UKIP, which favours immediate withdrawal from the EU and wants to sharply lower immigration, could open the door to a huge change in the traditional two-party system. Nigel Farage said a win could open up British politics, “in a remarkable way”.
A second UKIP MP at Westminster would also heap more pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron who faces a general election next May. His Conservative party is divided over Europe and are neck-and-neck in opinion polls with the opposition Labour party. The Rochester result is expected early on Friday morning.