The Tory MP's view on Hartlepool: "a f****** awful result"

10.08.32pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 4th Oct 2004

A mood of gloom is hanging over the Tory Party conference following their slump into 4th place in the Hartlepool by-election.

Hartlepool was the first time since the middle of the last century that the main opposition party had sunk to fourth place in an English parliamentary election.

Conservative Defence Spokesman Nicolas Soames was the most blunt in his analysis, describing the Conservative performance as "a f****** awful result".

David Willetts, Conservative work and pensions spokesman, said: "This is very disappointing. There is no point in pretending otherwise." This was echoed by Tory Party co-chairman Liam Fox tried to play down the poor showing. He said:

"This is a disappointing result for us. But this is a story about Labour. This is a disastrous result for them. It demonstrates a complete collapse in trust for Tony Blair."

Boris Johnson, Conservative arts minister, last night described the result as a "bummer".