Two earlier Scottish by-elections registered swings of 11.3% (Paisley South) and 22.6% (Hamilton South) from Labour to SNP.
But Mr Rennie also pointed to light flutterings of revival in local government by-elections.
Their reaction to these by-elections will thus be watched closely over the coming weeks.
It now has a small presence in parliament after a landslide win in by-elections in April.
But the by-elections underlined Mr Charest's biggest problem: winning votes outside metropolitan and multicultural Montreal.
This will trigger by-elections in their Manchester Central and Cardiff South and Penarth seats.
But since 2006 the Democrats have picked up three seats in by-elections in usually red districts.
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party said it would participate in Myanmar's forthcoming by-elections.
But it won parliamentary seats in by-elections in 2012 that came amid reforms by the new civilian government.
Mr Donohoe noted that by-elections are not held when list members resign, as they are with constituency MSPs.
Mr Cowling's estimates jump about a bit from quarter to quarter, depending where by-elections fall in particular months.
What do these elections and the by-elections tell us about who will be the next occupant of Number 10?
And a lot of the public anxiety which is experienced in by-elections and elsewhere has actually been about people from Eastern Europe.
BBC: Clegg backs 'security bonds' as he sets out immigration stance - BBC News
By-elections are taking place for 48 parliamentary and state-assembly seats on June 3rd.
Aung San Suu Kyi will try to win a seat in Burma's parliament in forthcoming by-elections, her party has confirmed.
One is that Labour can win by-elections when they put their mind to it, and throw some resources at it.
The Conservatives prefer to point to local council by-elections, which they claim show a resurgence of Tory fortunes since May.
On November 9th the Conservatives picked up two seats in four by-elections, in all of which the Liberals performed dismally.
It now has a small presence in parliament after a landslide win in by-elections deemed generally free and fair in April.
The Conservatives said it was inevitable that, in by-elections, the party that started in third place would see its vote squeezed.
Her party has now rejoined the political process and secured a small presence in parliament after winning by-elections in April 2012.
Three parliamentary by-elections have been set for 15 November after three MPs - two Labour and one Conservative - stood down.
Last month, Mr Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party lost two by-elections, giving the opposition enough seats to table censure motions against ministers.
By-elections with low turnouts can often exaggerate and distort the picture - and it is dangerous to read too much into them.
Labour also won by-elections in Croydon North in south London and Middlesbrough.
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Ms Suu Kyi's party has now rejoined the political process and secured a small presence in Parliament after winning by-elections in April 2012.
Without a party machine, usually self-funded and probably inexperienced at campaigning, most independents standing in parliamentary by-elections know they haven't got a prayer.
Defeat in by-elections could provide them with the pretext to try to stall further reforms, or maybe even to turn back the clock.
But because of its poor performance in office it was losing by-elections to the Congress party, which also forms the main national opposition.
Both the SSP and Solidarity fought on, making their presence felt in national elections and parliamentary by-elections, but failed to make an impact.
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