Labour has achieved a significant victory in a byelection in the South Gloucestershire constituency of Kingswood, overcoming a substantial Tory majority of over 11,000 votes.
Damien Egan, who stepped down as the mayor of Lewisham in south-east London to run for the seat despite its upcoming abolition in the next general election, is reveling in triumph following a dynamic and well-executed Labour campaign.
Securing victory with 11,176 votes, he outpaced his closest contender, Conservative candidate Sam Bromiley, who garnered 8,675 votes, securing a substantial majority of 2,501.
The Labour Party achieved success with a notable swing in the vote share, reaching 16.4 percentage points, surpassing the required 11.4-point swing.
Labour’s victory in Wellingborough, where they overturned a Conservative majority of over 18,000, delivers a double blow to Rishi Sunak’s aspirations of retaining power in the upcoming general election.
Even before the announcement of the outcome, Rishi Sunak faced criticism for overseeing a lackluster defense effort in Kingswood.
The outcome brings relief to Labour, especially in light of the recent antisemitism scandal that has plagued the party.
However, concerns may arise regarding the significant support garnered by Reform UK, which secured third place with 10.4% of the vote – marking the party’s strongest by-election performance thus far in this parliament and since its rebranding from the Brexit Party in 2021.
“This is a fantastic result in Kingswood that shows people are ready to put their trust in a Labour government. By winning in this Tory stronghold, we can confidently say that Labour is back in the service of working for people and we will work tirelessly to deliver for them … Labour will give Britain its future back.”
Keir Starmer
Egan used his victory speech to thank voters, saying: “Fourteen years of Conservative government have sucked the hope out of our country. There’s a feeling that no matter how hard you work, you just can’t move forward, and with Rishi’s recession we are left once again paying more and getting less.”
Voters More Concerned With Real Issues On The Ground
When asked if he had been concerned that the unrest within Labour this week could have jeopardized the outcome of the election, he acknowledged that candidates tend to harbor various worries, including the heavy rain experienced on the day of voting.
He mentioned that voters did not raise the problems that Labour has been experiencing during his door-to-door campaign.
Egan said, “The things that our residents are telling us are the things that Keir and the Labour party have been talking about – the NHS, cost of living crisis, community policing. Kingswood feels neglected after 14 years of Conservative government.”
Following Egan’s statement, the defeated Conservative candidate, Sam Bromiley, exited the vote count, opting to refrain from speaking with reporters.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Conservative MP from North East Somerset, addressed reporters, emphasizing that the combined votes of the Reform UK and Conservative parties exceeded those of Labour. He asserted that if the right-wing political factions could reunite, a significant opportunity would arise for them.
Rees-Mogg also mentioned the poor turnout of 37.1%. “If you’re a Tory and you stay at home, Rishi Sunak will still be prime minister in the morning,” he said. “I certainly thought this result would be worse. Bear in mind a lot of the postal votes would have been back before Labour’s problem with antisemitism was in the public.”
The by-election arose following the resignation of Chris Skidmore, a prominent Conservative advocate for environmental issues, who stepped down in opposition to the government’s pursuit of oil and gas.
Kingswood has experienced swings between the Conservative and Labour parties over the past fifty years. Skidmore secured the seat in 2010 and had expanded his majority to 11,220 by 2019.
Due to the upcoming general election and the subsequent abolition of the constituency, Kingswood voters will be distributed among four constituencies.
Damien Egan had previously been chosen as the candidate for one of these constituencies, Bristol North East, identified as a key target for the Labour Party.
The Labour victories in Kingswood and Wellingborough mark the Conservatives’ tenth defeat in by-elections during this parliamentary term.
This surpasses the eight losses experienced by the Conservative administration under John Major from 1992 to 1997.
Consequently, the Conservative government has now recorded the highest number of by-election defeats in a single parliamentary term since the 1960s.
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