LABOUR has snatched victory in the first of two previously safe Tory strongholds – with sources saying the second triumph will be “easy”.
The final results are in for the Kingswood by-election, with Labour coming out on top.
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The party managed to overturn a massive 11,000 majority, despite it previously being safely in the Tories’ grips.
Counting began in Kingswood and Wellingborough after voting closed at midnight, with the Conservatives bracing for defeat in both.
Results are set to decide who will replace former Tory MPs Chris Skidmore and Peter Bone.
Mr Skidmore had held the seat in Gloucestershire since 2010, but quit in January.
He has now been replaced by Labour’s Damien Egan, who beat Tory Sam Bromiley by a majority of 2,500 votes.
Following his party’s victory in the Kingswood by-election, Sir Keir Starmer said: “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 people and we will work tirelessly to deliver for them.
“To those who have put their trust in us, you can be safe in the knowledge that the Labour Party will deliver on your priorities. Labour will give Britain its future back.”
It came after Labour sources said they were “quietly confident” they snatch the seat.
SkyNews political correspondent Serena Barker-Singh said: “There’s a quiet atmosphere here now, and I think Labour are quietly confident, but also pointing out the fact that this was a Tory seat that has been Conservative for a long time.”
Tory have also sources told SkyNews they thought they had won Wellingborough “easily”.
The PM was already bracing for defeats in both – even if Labour was having to flip majorities in the tens of thousands.
Kingswood’s vote was triggered by Mr Skidmore’s resignation as an MP in protest at Government legislation to boost North Sea oil and gas drilling.
Meanwhile, the by-election in Northamptonshire‘s Wellingborough comes after Mr 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 selection of Mr Bone’s partner, Ms Harrison, as the Tory candidate standing in his former seat was also highly controversial, with the PM declining to say last month whether he would be campaigning for her.
Labour will be able to breathe a sigh of relief after days of negative headlines over the U-turn on the £28bn green pledge and a row about the handling of antisemitism allegations.
Tories’ collapsed by-election history
Labour’s win in Kingswood means the Conservatives have now lost nine by-elections in the course of this parliament.
This is one more than the eight defeats suffered by the 1992-97 Conservative administration led by John Major.
Labour made history in October last year by winning a by-election in the Mid Bedfordshire parliamentary seat which had been held by the Tories since 1931.
The Government has also now clocked up more by-election losses in any single Parliament than any administration since the 1960s.
With Mr Sunak having to go to the country by January 2025 at the latest, these latest defeats will undoubtedly worry the PM.
But first, he’s got a bigger fish to fry with Tory rebels likely to become even more rattled.
Last month, former cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke tried to have him ousted as leader, claiming that the party would be “massacred” at the next election if he remained prime minister.
Sir Simon said he had acted alone and a string of Tories immediately came to the defence of the PM.
But the by-election defeats might leave more MP malcontents within the party calling for change.
On Sunday, Mr Sunak told critics who doubt he can turn his party’s fortunes around that he is “totally up for the fight”.
In an interview with The Times, he also promised to reward hard work with tax cuts and struck an optimistic note over the UK’s economic prospects.
With the spring budget around the corner, disgruntled Tories will likely see it as a pivotal moment, hoping for bold fiscal maneuvers they believe could clinch a general election victory.
In a bruising week, parliamentary candidate Graham Jones was suspended on Tuesday, only a day after Labour was forced to suspend and withdraw its backing for Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali.
The Rochdale by-election will take place on February 29.
In more bad news for the PM, GDP figures published this morning showed that Britain entered a technical recession at the end of 2023.
Losing both seats would mean the Government has clocked up more by-election losses in any single Parliament than any administration since the 1960s.
More worryingly, it could also embolden Tory rebels who want him replaced after former cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke tried to have him ousted as leader last month.
But Mr Sunak is not the only one facing a bruising week and the size of the challenge for Labour is still significant.
Labour’s lead over the Tories has shrunk to its skimpiest margin since last summer as Sir Keir faces one of his biggest crisis as leader.
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