Western Daily Press (Saturday)
‘Clear message’ of by-election result
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 with a majority of 10,974, delivering a defeat to Rishi Sunak in his first electoral test as Prime Minister.
Labour took more than 61% of the vote, up from 50% at the last general election, albeit with a far smaller turnout.
Sir Keir sent “huge congratulations” to winner Samantha Dixon, who he said will be an “excellent” MP. Speaking in Glasgow, the Labour leader called it a “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 think that’s a clear message to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that people are fed up.
“There’s this strong sense now that the Government has run out of road, run out of ideas, hasn’t got a mandate, and it’s time for change.”
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said the Conservatives’ branding has taken a “pelting” as the people of Chester delivered a “huge message” 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 “very clear” he does not have a “mandate to govern”.
Asked during a visit to Chester when the Labour leader will go to the city to say thank you to his activists, Ms Rayner said Sir Keir was currently in Scotland, but he “will be here”. “And we’ll have a fantastic time when we get Sam in Parliament next week,” she added.
The contest was triggered by the resignation of Christian Matheson, who quit his Commons seat after complaints of “serious sexual misconduct” were upheld by a parliamentary watchdog. Mr Matheson, who denied the allegations, was facing a four-week suspension and asked to resign by Labour before he stood down.
Ms Dixon defeated Conservative candidate and NHS nurse Liz Wardlaw in the first Westminster by-election since Boris Johnson’s dramatic exit and the market chaos of Liz Truss’s short stint in No 10.
Labour said the result sends a “clear message” to Mr Sunak and his new administration. In her victory speech, Ms Dixon said: “People in Chester and across our country are really worried.
“Worried about losing their homes because they can’t afford the mortgage repayments or the rent, worried about whether they can put the heating on, worried about whether they can put food on the table for their families.
“This is the cost of 12 years of Conservative Government, the Government, which has wreaked havoc with our economy, destroyed our public services and betrayed the people who put their trust in them at the last general election.”
Labour had been widely expected to hold the seat, having won it in 2019 for the third time in a row with a majority of 6,164. This time, the party secured more than 61% of the vote and a 13.76% swing from the Tories. Ms Wardlaw received 6,335 votes, or 22.40%.