Euro poll shows only Lib Dems can challenge Gordon Brown's Labour party in Islington

3.53.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 10th Jun 2009

London's Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford - re-elected!

Islington Liberal Democrats have welcomed former Clerkenwell councillor Sarah Ludford back as London's Lib Dem MEP, as she joined a record number of Lib Dem MEPs elected across the country this month. In an election in which Labour's vote plunged to its lowest level in a century, the Liberal Democrats in Islington pushed the Conservative party into fourth place - showing that the Lib Dems are the only party that can wrestle with Labour for control of Islington Council.

Islington's Labour party repeatedly claimed that they regarded the Conservatives as their main challengers, but the Tories came a distant fourth in Islington. Box counts sampling individual polling districts also showed the Liberal Democrats in a strong second place in the Islington South and Finsbury parliamentary constituency - winning several wards.

This means that local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Bridget Fox is the only contender who can beat the incumbent Labour MP Emily Thornberry.

Liberal Democrat council leader Terry Stacy said:

"The election results were devastating for the Labour party nationally, so they will obviously be clinging to any shreds of comfort.

"In Islington over 70% of people voted against the Labour party. With the Tories in fourth place and thousands of votes behind, even though they had a good set of elections elsewhere, it's clearer than ever that it is only the Liberal Democrats who can stop Labour in Islington. It's only the Liberal Democrats who can stop the council falling into Labour hands and hopefully kick Emily Thornberry out of her seat in Parliament.

"We know Labour doesn't have the right answers for Islington or the country. They almost bankrupted the council in the 1980s and 90s, and on their current form they would do it again - with catastrophic results for people who use council services and the taxpayer. We're going to fight tooth and nail to stop that happening."

Bridget Fox adds, "Islington South was the birthplace of New Labour. Now so many people have told me that they are disillusioned with Labour, and ready for a change. Emily Thornberry has consistently voted with the Labour whips and against the interests of Islington people, on issues from abolishing the 10p tax rate to closing our post offices.

"With the Conservatives in a disappointing fourth place, it's clearer than ever that when the General Election comes, Liberal Democrats are the only party who can beat Labour here."