MEP’s vital statistics

Date: 16/01/1997

British Socialist MEP Richard Corbett is a wonderful statistical phenomenon. His recent victory in only the fourth UK Euro by-election recorded the highest-ever Labour majority in both absolute and percentage terms.

But, knocking the edge off his 19,000 vote margin over his closest challenger, the Corbett victory was also based on the lowest-ever electoral turnout just 11.5&percent; of the electorate bothered to vote.

Corbett, who lives in Antwerp, can also claim to be the first British candidate with a foreign address on the ballot paper to be elected in a UK constituency.

He was possibly helped by a rash comment from Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown, who suggested that the locals would rather be represented by someone from Anfield than from Antwerp no doubt prompting a rush of support for Corbett from Everton football club fans.