BRITAIN'S ALLIANCE OPPOSITION WINS BY-ELECTION
Britain's centrist Liberal-Social
Democratic Alliance won a surprise victory in a parliamentary
by-election in the London borough of Greenwich, a seat held by
the main opposition Labour party for the past 50 years.
    Rosie Barnes, a Social Democratic member of the Alliance,
won with 18,287 votes, or 53 pct, and a majority of 6,611 seats
over her nearest rival, Labour candidate Deirdre Wood.
    The Conservatives came third with 3,852 votes.
    The result is expected to play a key role in determining
when Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, leader of the ruling
Conservatives, might call a general election.
 REUTER
