Labour overhauls Tory majority of 18,540
Labour’s Gen Kitchen has won the Wellingborough by-election, overturning a majority of more than 18,000, and marking the party’s second by-election win of the night.
The results came just hours after the party won the Kingswood by-election, overturning a Tory majority of more than 11,000.
Labour secured 13,844 votes and on a swing in the share of the vote of 28.5 percentage points: the second largest swing from Tory to Labour at a by-election since the Second World War.
New MP Gen Kitchen, who cut short her honeymoon to campaign in the by-election, said: “This is a stunning victory for the Labour Party and must send a message from Northamptonshire to Downing Street.”
Sir Keir Starmer said the results of Thursday’s by-elections show the public “want change”.
“These are fantastic results in Kingswood and Wellingborough that show people want change and are ready to put their faith in a changed Labour Party to deliver it,” he said.
“By winning in these Tory strongholds, we can confidently say that Labour is back in the service of working people and we will work tirelessly to deliver for them.
“The Tories have failed. Rishi’s recession proves that. That’s why we’ve seen so many former Conservative voters switching directly to this changed Labour Party.
The Reform party also marked its best by-election performances so far. Deputy leader Ben Habib won 13% of the vote in Wellingborough, while Rupert Lowe won 10% in Kingswood.
The results also mean the Government has now suffered the most by-election defeats of any government since the 1960s.
The turnout was 38.1%.
The by-election came after former Tory MP Peter Bone received a six-week suspension from the Commons when an inquiry found he had subjected a staff member to bullying and sexual misconduct.
The party had held the seat since 2005. Mr Bone’s majority in 2019 was 18,540.
The selection of his partner, Helen Harrison, as the Conservative candidate in his former seat had been a source of controversy.
More to follow
