BLACK Friday, December 13th, 1996: Britain's Conservatives awake to find themselves without a House of Commons majority for the first time in 17 years.
Mr John Major's majority, 21 at the 1992 general election, finally evaporated just before midnight, as Labour retained Barnsley East in the by election caused by the death of Mr Terry Patchett.
Voters in the South Yorkshire stronghold gave the Labour candidate, Mr Jeff Ennis, a majority of 13,181 over the second placed Liberal Democrat, Mr David Willis. The Tory candidate, Ms Jane Ellison, was third.
The Labour leader, Mr Tony Blair, in Dublin later this morning is expected to renew his challenge that Mr Major end the uncertainty and name the date for a general election. But the Prime Minister, also in Dublin for the EU summit, will dismiss Labour calls knowing that he is in no immediate danger of losing a confidence vote in the Commons.
Barring another death in the Tory ranks, Mr Major's government will not find itself in an actual minority situation until after the pending Wirral by election, which the government in present circumstances is expected to lose.
Parliamentary convention says the writ for that contest should be moved within three months of the death of the former MP Mr Barry Porter. Labour strategists say they expect Mr Major to try and ignore the convention. But it would then be open to the Labour whips themselves to defy convention by moving the writ, and force the issue to a full Commons vote. However, even if all the opposition parties supported such a Labour move, Mr Major can survive any tied vote, thanks to the convention that in such circumstances the Speaker casts her voted for the status quo.
Some members of the shadow cabinet believe the need to avoid a damaging by election defeat in a Tory held seat on the heels of the general election, could force Mr Major to go to the country early.