Labour hold their seat in Stretford and Urmston as Andrew Western voted new MP in by-election

Labour has retained their seat in Stretford and Urmston as Andrew Western is voted the new MP.

Temperatures in Manchester remained below freezing on polling day and the expectation of a comfortable Labour victory did little to inspire voters to go to polling stations, with an official turnout figure of 25.8%.

Almost a dozen candidates were bidding to succeed former MP Kate Green - who resigned in November to become Greater Manchester deputy mayor.

She had been an MP since 2010, and in 2019 won with a majority of 16,417 - more than 60% of the vote - followed by the Conservatives and then the Liberal Democrats.

The latest by-election comes amid a cost-of-living crisis, soaring inflation and a growing wave of industrial action across the UK.

It is the second failed test at the ballot box for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak since he was elected - with Labour firmly holding the City of Chester at the beginning of December, after Samantha Dixon was elected.

That by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Christian Matheson after complaints of serious sexual misconduct were upheld by the Commons standards body.

Who is the new Stretford and Urmston MP?

Andrew Western has been the leader of Trafford Council since 2018.

Before that he worked in project management within the engineering sector specialising in transport and infrastructure.

The other most recent by-elections, which took place on the same day in June, were unsuccessful for the Conservatives – with Labour taking Wakefield and the Liberal Democrats securing a historic victory in Tiverton and Honiton.