Leaderless and losing - Lib Dem's upset Labour in late Sunderland leader's seat

The Liberal Democrats have stunned Sunderland's Labour establishment with a by-election upset triggered by the death of the council leader. Voters in Pallion went to the polls on Feburary 1 after Paul Watson, who held the ward for Labour since 1997, lost his battle with cancer last November aged 63. Lib Dem candidate Martin Haswell won 1,251 votes, a decisive victory over Labour's John Hardy on 807 and the Conservatives in a distant third with 126.