Starmer hails win in Chester by-election
Sir Keir Starmer has hailed Labour's by-election victory in the City of Chester, claiming it demonstrates the public are "fed up" with the Tory government.
The party held on to the seat withamajorityof10,974,deliveringadefeattorishisunakin hisfirstelectoraltestasprime Minister.
Labour took more than 61 per cent of the vote, up from 50 per cent at the last general election, albeit with a far smaller turnout.
Sirkeirsent"hugecongratulations" to winner Samantha Dixon, who he said will be an "excellent" MP.
Speaking in Glasgow, the Labourleadercalledita"very, very good result" for his party.
"The Labour Party has been putting forward a positive plan for the future, how we stabilise and grow our economy," he said.
"So we were putting a positive choice to the electorate in Chester. The government is worn out, tired, has crashed the economy. And the verdict was very, very clearly given. I
thinkthat'saclearmessageto Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that people are fed up.
"There's this strong sense now that the government has runoutofroad,runoutofideas, hasn't got a mandate, and it's time for change."
Labourdeputyleaderangela Rayner said the Conservatives' branding has taken a "pelting"asthepeopleofchesterdelivereda"hugemessage" to the Government on their desire for change.
She said Mr Sunak has overseen the Tories' worst defeat in the City of Chester constituency since 1832, claiming it is "veryclear"hedoesnothavea "mandate to govern".