Labour wins Blackpool South by-election and makes council gains

Summary

1. Labour wins the Blackpool South by-election, taking the seat from the Conservatives
2. The new MP, Chris Webb, beat the Conservatives’ David Jones with a 26% swing – Reform UK came third
3. Labour leader Keir Starmer calls the win “seismic” and “the most important result today”
4. Labour also makes gains in the local elections in England – winning councils in Redditch, Thurrock, Hartlepool, and Rushmoor in Hampshire – but loses Oldham to no overall control
5. Around a third of councils have declared results so far, with more council and mayoral results due on Friday and Saturday
6. These elections are considered the last test of voters’ opinion before the next general election, which is expected later this year

Recap: A new MP, more Labour gains and Reform leader rules out Tory pact

A number of notable victories for Labour in the last hour or so – let’s breakdown some of the recent key moments:

• The big development happened in Blackpool South where Labour’s Chris Webb won the parliamentary by-election from the Conservatives with 10,825 votes
• The Tories narrowly scraped second place taking 3,218 votes and Reform UK finished third with 3,101 votes
• In his victory speech Webb called on Rishi Sunak to admit he had failed and to call a general election
• Another key win for Labour came in the Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner election which saw a 22% swing from the Conservatives
• Labour also added Redditch Borough Council to its gains chalked up overnight – building on earlier victories in Hartlepool, Thurrock and Rushmoor councils
• In rare bright spots, the Conservatives managed to hold onto Harlow Council and Fareham Council
• Despite finishing third in Blackpool South and yet to gain a single councillor Reform UK’s leader Richard Tice told the BBC his party will “110% not be doing any election deals with the Tories”
• Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats remain in minority control of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council which remains hung
• The Lib Dems have also held onto Gosport Borough Council and Winchester City Council