Rachel Reeves stated that the Conservatives have “ran out of road” following Labour’s victory in the West Lancashire by-election.
The shadow chancellor stated that Rishi Sunak had received a “clear message” from the 10.5% swing against the Tories.
Ashley Dalton will replace Rosie Cooper, who resigned after 17 years as the area’s representative.
It follows two recent Labour victories in by-elections in north-west England.
It was largely anticipated that the party will keep the West Lancashire seat it has held since 1992.
Its victory majority of 8,326 is comparable to that of the last election in 2019. But its vote share climbed from 52.1% to 62.2%.
The outcome is the most recent indicator of the challenge Mr. Sunak faces ahead of the May municipal elections, with the Conservatives lagging the Labour Party in national polls.
Ms. Reeves told reporters that the by-election victory was a “strong outcome” for her party, as voters “sent a clear message to Rishi Sunak and his administration that they are no longer fit to govern.”
She continued, “People want a general election and a choice regarding who is in government now because this government has run out of ideas and road.”
MP Scott Benton, who was involved in the Conservative campaign in Blackpool South, stated that the swing to Labour was “small” and “quite similar to what you’d expect based on national polling.”
“Generally, governments face difficult by-elections. We have been in power for twelve years, therefore this type of outcome is to be expected “he continued.
“Had [Labour leader] Keir Starmer been on track to win a general election. I believe you would have anticipated a record-breaking majority for the Labour Party here.”
Ms. Dalton had previously run failed campaigns for the seat of Rochford and Southend East.
The part-time charity worker will now replace Rosie Cooper, who revealed in September that she was resigning from her position as an MP to accept a top NHS position in Merseyside.
Liberal Democrats placed fourth, trailing Reform UK (formerly the Brexit Party).
Mike Prendergast, the Conservative candidate, was formerly the leader of the Conservative group on the adjacent Sefton Council.
The constituency of West Lancashire was established in 1983 as a result of a boundary review. Initially controlled by the Conservative Ken Hind, the seat has been held by Labour since 1992.
Greater Manchester constituencies of Chester, Stretford, and Urmston were held by Labour in December following by-elections.
The victory of Labour in West Lancashire was generally anticipated. But what does it tell us about the larger political landscape?
If reproduced nationwide, the movement in support from the Conservatives to Labour since 2019 would be just enough for Sir Keir Starmer to walk into Number 10. But only barely.
Labour was disappointed if they expected a big victory in the next general election.
Labour was disappointed if they expected a big victory in the next general election.
However, this will not provide much solace for the Conservatives, who cannot escape a decisive defeat that reflects their low performance in national opinion polls.
In a winter by-election where less than one-third of eligible voters participated, it is difficult to draw definitive findings.
