Labour candidate Andrew Western has convincingly held the seat of Stretford & Urmston for his party following Thursday’s by-election.
The Trafford Council leader secured 70 per cent of the vote and a 9,906 majority, as merely a quarter of the electorate turned out in the winter weather.
Nevertheless, Labour enjoyed an 11 per cent voter swing from the Tories compared to the 2019 general election and continue their streak of holding the seat since it was formed in 1997.
Tory candidate Emily Carter-Kandola finished second in the polling, picking up a 16 per cent share of the vote.
In his victory speech, Western said a “clear” message had been sent that “the public want a general election” and that 12 years of Conservative governance was “coming to an end”.
He said: “It's clear from the result, and from the conversations I have had with voters throughout the campaign, that the public want a general election.
“The Tories have given up on governing and it is increasingly clear that the British people are giving up on them. Labour stands ready to deliver for our country and only Labour has a plan for working people and to create a fairer, greener, future.”
Western also paid tribute to those voters who turned out at polling stations in sub-zero temperatures, saying that it “must hold the record for the coldest polling day.”
Photo by Arnaud Jaegers on Unsplash
