LONDON, July 24 (UPI) -- The British Labor Party suffered an electoral blow Friday when the Conservative candidate won a by-election in what had been a Labor district, Norwich North.
The winner, Chloe Smith, 27, will be the youngest member of Parliament when she takes her seat. She won by 7,348 votes in a district Labor took by 5,459 in the last general election in 2005, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Smith replaces Ian Gibson, one of the casualties of the expenses scandal. Gibson resigned after becoming one of five Labor politicians singled out for punishment amidst reports he bought a London apartment with help from the taxpayers, let his daughter live in it rent-free and then sold it to her at a below-market price.
The swing away from Labor to the Conservatives was 16.5 percent. Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the result "disappointing."
Labor operatives had expected a loss but not such a big shift away from their party, the Financial Times said. The results sparked angry comment within the ranks.
"The way Ian Gibson was treated and singled out was a disgrace," said Paul Farrelly, who represents Newcastle-under-Lyme in Parliament.
