(by Salient's Political Correspondent)

First Orpington, then Stockton, now West Derbyshire. In all the by-elections in Britain there has been one outstanding feature—the Liberal Party is on the move again. In 1945, 16,000 people voted Labour at Orpington. What has happened to them since?.

Over the past few months declines in the votes accorded the Conservatives and Labour have been matched by an increase in the Liberal poll. In Orpington that party captured the seat, in Stockton it replaced the Tories in second slot, in West Derbyshire the Socialists. In the last case, it was the first time the Liberals had contested the seat since 1950. The amazing figures: Conservative 12.455, Liberal 11,235, Labour 9431. With the General Election just one year off, the Tory M.P. may have only a transitory hold on the seat.