Labour has won the West Lancashire by-election, securing a comfortable seat against the ruling Conservatives in the third electoral test of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
On Thursday, Labour’s Ashley Dalton retained a seat in the West Lancashire by-election, securing a majority of 8,326 over Conservative hopeful Mike Prendergast, with a 10.52 percent swing from the Tories.
A swing is an indication of the scale of voter change between two political parties.
Electoral Test
In December, Sunak had his first electoral test when Labour retained the City of Chester constituency by-election with a 13.76 percent swing against the Conservatives. Then Labour retained Stretford and Urmston, with a 10.5 percent swing in a by-election.Polling expert Sir John Curtice, who is well-known for his research and polling methods in electoral behaviour, told The Epoch Times that there are “two ways to look at the result.”
“The good news for the Labour Party is whereas both Chester and Stretford were pro-Remain seats, here is a pro-Leave seat and they still managed to replicate the performance in at least one of the previous by-elections,” he said.
“Pro-Remain” and “pro-Leave” refers to areas that were for and against Brexit, Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.
“On the other hand, given that the position of the Tories in the polls is a bit weaker than it was in December and given that west Lancashire is somewhat less of a Labour seat in the first place, so there is a bit more room for movement, you might have thought that the swing might have been a point or so higher, but I wouldn’t put it any more than that,” he said.
“Beyond that, can we please have a by-election in a Tory-held seat and we will learn an awful lot more,” he added.
In the election, Richard Tice’s Reform UK secured 997 votes, ahead of the Liberal Democrats with 918, the Greens with 646, and the Official Monster Raving Loony Party with 21.
‘It’s Time for a General Election’
In her victory speech, Dalton called for a general election.“Tonight the people of West Lancashire constituency have spoken on behalf of the country,” she said.
“They have sent a message to this Conservative government. They do not have confidence in them to govern or the prime minister to lead.
“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 added: “These are testing times for our country. I have had hundreds of conversations with voters and I know how hard life has become and the unthinkable choices people are having to face—paying their bills or buying food.
“Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives no longer have a mandate to govern. His government has no ideas, no plan to address the big issues facing our country, and the voters tonight have sent a message to the prime minister—your government is failing British people.”
“Move out of the way. Let Labour take over and it’s time for a general election,” added Dalton.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer congratulated Dalton, writing on Twitter, “The message from West Lancashire today is clear, after 13 years of Tory decline, it’s time for a Labour government.”
Westminster’s 3rd Party
This week MP Greg Hands was appointed chairman of the Conservative Party, replacing the sacked Nadhim Zahawi.Hands is charged with trying to steer his party towards local election success in May amid pressure on the prime minister ahead of the next general election in around 18 months’ time.
“The work starts right away. The Conservative Party is in good shape and up for the fight with the unreformed Labour Party and the other parties as well,” said Hands in a recent statement.
“The Conservative Party will have a really good story to tell in next year’s general election, and we are definitely looking forward to it,” he added.
