[2] Commentators linked the result to anger from traditional voters over the Iraq War, as well as to the private sector's involvement in public services.

In Britain's most diverse community, we have shown that we can speak for every section of society and the Liberal Democrat message is one they want to hear and support.

And there are plenty of Labour MPs whose electoral fortunes depend in part on the votes of Britain's ethnic minority communities.

The backdrop of the controversy over Iraq in its many forms has caused difficulty in the by-election and generally in getting our message across about the big investment programme we have got in public services, the economy and tackling anti-social behaviour and crime.

Her daughter Suella Fernandes, a young lawyer who was also on the list of parliamentary candidates, had to be persuaded not to seek the nomination, and in the event campaigned for her mother.