Britain\u2019s anti-EU UKIP party won its second seat in parliament on Friday, defeating Prime Minister David Cameron\u2019s Conservatives in a special election six months before what is shaping up to be a closely-fought national vote.<\/p>\n
The victory for UKIP, the UK Independence Party, will unsettle businesses, investors and European partners who fear Britain could be slipping towards an exit from the European Union.<\/p>\n
UKIP favours an immediate British EU exit and sharply lower immigration. Mark Reckless, UKIP\u2019s candidate, was a Conservative lawmaker until he defected in September.<\/p>\n
Reckless won 16,867 votes or just over 42 percent of the vote in the southeastern English constituency of Rochester and Strood giving him a majority of 2,920. Cameron\u2019s Conservatives came second with 13,947 votes. Labour came third with 6,713 votes. The overall turnout was 50.67 percent.<\/p>\n
UKIP\u2019s success highlights the threat it poses to Cameron in a national election in May 2015 and its ability to split the mainstream Conservative party\u2019s vote casting a cloud over its re-election prospects.<\/p>\n
\u201cRochester and Strood was our 271st most winnable seat,\u201d Reckless said after the results were announced. \u201cIf we can win here we can win across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
The loss is a serious blow to Cameron after he ordered his party to mobilise all its resources to hold Rochester and visited the area five times himself before Thursday\u2019s ballot.<\/p>\n
(REUTERS)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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