Blackpool South by-election: Labour record 'seismic win' to gain MP from Conservatives
Labour has gained a new MP after a landslide victory in Blackpool South - as the residents "spoke for Britain" it was claimed.
Chris Webb became the first locally-born MP to represent the Lancashire constituency in 60 years, putting the seat back into Labour hands for the first time in five.
It is the third largest swing from the Conservatives to Labour at a by-election since the Second World War.
The party needed a swing in the share of the vote of just 5.7 percentage points to win Blackpool South – but recorded 26.3 points.
The declaration came at just before 5am on Friday 3 May, with Labour leader, Keir Starmer, calling it a "seismic win", adding the "swing towards Labour in Blackpool South is historic."
Mr Webb won the constituency with a majority of more than 7,000, with the Conservatives only just beating Reform UK to take second place.
He received 10,825 votes - a 58.9% vote share - with the Tory candidate David Jones trailing behind with just 3,218.
Reform UK candidate Mark Butcher recorded 3,101 votes, while the Liberal Democrats gained 387 votes and the Green Party won 368.
The by-election was triggered after former Conservative MP Scott Benton, who was suspended for 35 days after becoming embroiled in a lobbying scandal, resigned.
An undercover investigation by the Times showed the former MP explaining how he could use his position to try and limit the biggest reforms to gambling laws since 2005.
Giving his victory speech, the newest Labour MP said Blackpool had "had enough of this failed Government".
“The people of Blackpool South have spoken for Britain," he said. "They have said to Rishi Sunak and to the Conservatives they have had enough.
“They have had enough of 14 years of Conservatives being in power.
"They have lost the trust of the British people and Blackpool has had enough of this failed Government which has crashed the economy, destroyed our public services and put up taxes.
“They have said that it is time for change and that change started here in Blackpool."
He also thanked his family and all the people who had voted for him, adding a message for Rishi Sunak: "Prime minister, do the decent thing, admit you’ve failed and call an election".
Labour leader Keir Starmer called the result in Blackpool South "the most important result today".
He added: "This is the one contest where voters had the chance to send a message to Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives directly, and that message is an overwhelming vote for change.
"The swing towards the Labour Party in Blackpool South is truly historic and shows that we are firmly back in the service of working people."
The result is the Conservatives 11th such defeat so far this parliament.
Speaking at a press conference Sir Keir, joined by Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner and newest MP Chris Webb, the party called for a general election.
The constituency was held by the Conservatives for more than 50 years until Labour's historic country-wide landslide in 1997.
It then formed a tower of strength in the so-called red wall, until it toppled to the Conservatives once again in 2019.
Voter turnout was 32.5%, compared to 56.8% in the 2019 general election.
The election fell on the same day as local elections across England and Wales - with those in the constituency also casting their vote for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire Police.
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