Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, is the impaired liver function caused by the formation of scar tissue known as fibrosis, due to damage caused by liver disease. Damage causes tissue repair and subsequent formation of scar tissue, which over time can replace normal functioning tissue leading to the impaired liver function of cirrhosis. Typically, the disease develops slowly over months or years. Early symptoms may include tiredness, weakness, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, nausea and vomiting, and discomfort in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. As the disease worsens, symptoms may include itchiness, swelling in the lower legs, ascites (fluid build-up in the abdomen), jaundice, bruising easily, and the development of spider-like blood vessels in the skin. The fluid build-up in the abdomen may become spontaneously infected. Other serious complications include hepatic encephalopathy, bleeding from dilated veins in the esophagus or stomach, and liver cancer. Cirrhosis is most commonly caused by alcoholic hepatitis, chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Typically, more than two or three alcoholic drinks per day over a number of years is required for alcoholic cirrhosis to occur. NAFLD has a number of causes, including obesity, diabetes, high blood lipid levels, and high blood pressure. A number of less common causes of cirrhosis include autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, iron overload, certain hepatotoxic medications, and gallstones. Diagnosis is based on blood testing, medical imaging, and liver biopsy. Hepatitis B vaccine can prevent hepatitis B and the development of cirrhosis, but there is no vaccination against hepatitis C. There is no specific treatment for cirrhosis but many of the underlying causes may be treated by a number of medications that may slow or prevent worsening of the condition. Avoiding alcohol is recommended in all cases. Hepatitis B and C may be treatable with antiviral medications. Autoimmune hepatitis may be treated with steroid medications. Ursodiol may be useful if the disease is due to blockage of the bile ducts. Other medications may be useful for complications such as abdominal or leg swelling, hepatic encephalopathy, and dilated esophageal veins. In severe cirrhosis, a liver transplant may be an option. Cirrhosis affected about 2.8 million people and resulted in 1.3 million deaths in 2015. Of these deaths, alcohol caused 348,000, hepatitis C caused 326,000, and hepatitis B caused 371,000. In the United States, more men die of cirrhosis than women. The first known description of the condition is by Hippocrates in the 5th century BCE. The term cirrhosis was invented in 1819, from a Greek word for the yellowish color of a diseased liver.

A by-election was held on 20 November 2014 for the UK parliamentary constituency of Rochester and Strood in Kent, England. The by-election was triggered when the sitting Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Mark Reckless, left the Conservative Party and joined the UK Independence Party (UKIP). He resigned his seat in Parliament in order to seek re-election for his new party. This was the last by-election of the 2010–2015 Parliament.
A by-election was held on 20 November 2014 for the UK parliamentary constituency of Rochester and Strood in Kent, England. The by-election was triggered when the sitting Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Mark Reckless, left the Conservative Party and joined the UK Independence Party (UKIP). He resigned his seat in Parliament in order to seek re-election for his new party. Reckless retained the seat, and polled 42.1% of the vote as the UKIP candidate. The Conservative Party came second with 34.8%, and Labour third with 16.8%. The other ten candidates lost their deposits, including the Liberal Democrats whose 0.87% vote share was a record low for them, and the lowest ever for a party in government. This was the last by-election of the 2010–2015 Parliament.