Stunning result in Kingston by-election

There was a stunning result in last week's by-election in Grove Ward, Kingston, where Lib Dem Jon Tolley was elected with a with a greatly increased majority majority of 889 votes over the Conservative candidate.

This represents a remarkable surge in support for the Liberal Democrats, as In the previous by-election in this ward, held on the same day as the General Election, the Lib Dem candidate had won by just 18 votes.

The result was:

• Jon Tolley - Lib Dem - 1577

• Conservative - 688

• Labour - 223

• Green - 88

• UKIP - 58

The by-election was called following the sudden death of long-serving Lib Dem councillor Chrissie Hitchcock..