New Labour MP Ashley Dalton says voters “do not have confidence” in the Conservatives to govern.
Image source, PA MediaLabour’s Ashley Dalton has won the West Lancashire by-election.
Ms Dalton, who works part-time for a local charity, secured a majority of 8,326 over the Conservatives.
The vote was triggered when Labour veteran Rosie Cooper, who represented the seat for 17 years, resigned.
In her victory speech at Burscough Racquet and Fitness Centre, Ms Dalton said voters had sent a message to the Conservative government that they “do not have confidence in them to govern”.
“Prime Minister, your Government has no ideas or a plan to address the big issues facing our country, like record levels of child poverty and people dying waiting for ambulances,” she said.
There was a less than 32% turnout at the by-election, held in bitterly cold conditions. It saw a 10.52% swing from the Tories to Labour.
The result, announced in the early hours of Friday, was Labour’s third by-election victory in recent months after the party easily held both the Stretford and Urmston and the City of Cheshire seats in December.
Labour had been widely expected to comfortably retain the seat, having eased to victory in the 2019 general election with 27,458 votes, when the Conservatives finished second with 19,122, followed by the Liberal Democrats on 2,560.
This year the Liberal Democrats finished fourth behind Reform UK (formerly the Brexit Party).
Full by-election results:
- Labour (Ashley Dalton) – 14,068
- Conservative (Mike Prendergast) – 5,742
- Reform UK (Jonathan Kay) – 997
- Liberal Democrat (Jo Barton) – 918
- Green (Peter Cranie) – 646
- Official Monster Raving Loony Party (Howling Laud Hope) – 210
Turnout: 31.3%; Swing: 10.5% from Conservative to Labour
Image source, PA Media
The West Lancashire constituency lies in a part of the North West traditionally dominated by Labour.
Ashley Dalton had previously been beaten in Rochford and Southend East.
Mike Prendergast, the Conservative candidate for the seat, is the former Tory group leader on nearby Sefton Council.
Analysis
By Mike Stevens, BBC Radio Lancashire political reporter
It comes as no great surprise that Labour comfortably held on to this heartland seat – nestled perfectly between Merseyside, Greater Manchester and the rest of Lancashire.
The outcome mirrors the party’s December by-election victories in Chester and Stretford and Urmston.
This Westminster constituency was created in 1983 following a boundaries review. While its first MP was Conservative Ken Hind, the seat has been held for more than 30 years by Labour.
Labour will have been boosted by the 10.5% swing from the Tories, with its new MP Ashley Dalton saying constituents had sent a clear message to the government that they “do not have confidence in them to govern”.