{"id":25674,"date":"2013-02-04T12:29:45","date_gmt":"2013-02-04T11:29:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/02\/04\/chris-huhne-resigns-nigel-farage-mulls-seat_n_2614543.html?utm_hp_ref=uk-politics?ncid=GEP"},"modified":"2013-02-04T12:29:45","modified_gmt":"2013-02-04T11:29:45","slug":"could-farage-replace-huhne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/breaking-news\/could-farage-replace-huhne\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Farage Replace Huhne?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Ukip leader Nigel Farage is “mulling over” whether to run for Chris Huhne’s Eastleigh seat, following the former minister’s dramatic resignation.<\/p>\n

The MEP for the South East of England will make a decision by the end of the week, Ukip spokesman Gawain Towler told the Huffington Post UK.<\/p>\n

Mr Towler said: “Nigel is thinking about it. He is in Strasbourg and mulling it over but there will be a formal candidate selection process.<\/p>\n

“The nomination must be decided by Monday next week and by that time a Ukip candidate will be selected. A candidate will probably be announced by the end of the week.”<\/p>\n

\"nigel<\/p>\n

Nigel Farage says he is considering whether to run for Chris Huhne’s seat<\/strong><\/p>\n

If he does decide to run, Mr Farage will be hoping to improve on the 952 votes he received when he contested the same seat in 1994.<\/p>\n

Bookies have installed the Tories as the favourites to snatch the prized Hampshire seat.<\/p>\n

But local Liberal Democrats are defiant about their chances of hanging on to a constituency they have controlled for 19 years.<\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/strong>
Bobby Dean<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Not meaning to heap to much pressure on my own party but we have to win in Eastleigh – no excuses #Huhne<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Council leader Keith House told the Huffington Post UK: “The Tories are in total disarray in Eastleigh, they have had such an electoral battering from the Lib Dems in the past few years.<\/p>\n

“The big thing about the Lib Dems in Eastleigh is that the team is bigger than the individual – whether that’s Chris Huhne, Keith House or anyone.”<\/p>\n

No decision has been made on choosing the Lib Dem candidate, he added.<\/p>\n

The Conservatives trailed the Lib Dems by almost 4,000 votes at the 2010 General Election, with Labour a distant third. Ukip’s Ray Finch polled 1,933, a 3.6 per cent share of the vote.<\/p>\n

Bookmaker William Hill believes Mr Huhne’s resignation has handed the seat to the Tories, making them 1\/2 favourites to win the by-election, with the Lib Dems 6\/4 to retain it. Ukip are 33\/1 shots with Labour made 100\/1 outsiders.<\/p>\n

“Mr Huhne had a majority of some 3,800 and that could be tricky for the Lib Dem candidate to defend in the current climate” said Hill\u2019s spokesman Graham Sharpe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n

Ukip leader Nigel Farage is “mulling over” whether to run for Chris Huhne’s Eastleigh seat, following the former minister’s dramatic resignation.<\/p>\n

The MEP for the South East of England will make a decision by the end of the week, Ukip spokesman Gawain Towler told the Huffington Post UK.<\/p>\n

Mr Towler said: “Nigel is thinking about it. He is in Strasbourg and mulling it over but there will be a formal candidate selection process.<\/p>\n

“The nomination must be decided by Monday next week and by that time a Ukip candidate will be selected. A candidate will probably be announced by the end of the week.”<\/p>\n

\"nigel<\/p>\n

Nigel Farage says he is considering whether to run for Chris Huhne’s seat<\/strong><\/p>\n

If he does decide to run, Mr Farage will be hoping to improve on the 952 votes he received when he contested the same seat in 1994.<\/p>\n

Bookies have installed the Tories as the favourites to snatch the prized Hampshire seat.<\/p>\n

But local Liberal Democrats are defiant about their chances of hanging on to a constituency they have controlled for 19 years.<\/p>\n

\n<\/span> <\/strong>
Bobby Dean<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Not meaning to heap to much pressure on my own party but we have to win in Eastleigh – no excuses #Huhne<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Council leader Keith House told the Huffington Post UK: “The Tories are in total disarray in Eastleigh, they have had such an electoral battering from the Lib Dems in the past few years.<\/p>\n

“The big thing about the Lib Dems in Eastleigh is that the team is bigger than the individual – whether that’s Chris Huhne, Keith House or anyone.”<\/p>\n

No decision has been made on choosing the Lib Dem candidate, he added.<\/p>\n

The Conservatives trailed the Lib Dems by almost 4,000 votes at the 2010 General Election, with Labour a distant third. Ukip’s Ray Finch polled 1,933, a 3.6 per cent share of the vote.<\/p>\n

Bookmaker William Hill believes Mr Huhne’s resignation has handed the seat to the Tories, making them 1\/2 favourites to win the by-election, with the Lib Dems 6\/4 to retain it. Ukip are 33\/1 shots with Labour made 100\/1 outsiders.<\/p>\n

“Mr Huhne had a majority of some 3,800 and that could be tricky for the Lib Dem candidate to defend in the current climate” said Hill’s spokesman Graham Sharpe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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