Friday was a mixed day for the Labour party as it secured its political presence in Stoke-on-Trent, beating UKIP’s Paul Nuttall. The party suffered a major blow however in Copeland, losing the seat to the Conservatives.
In Stoke-on-Trent, which has been a safe Labour seat since 1950, Gareth Snell said the result showed that “hatred and bigotry” were not welcome in Stoke.
“Over these last few weeks a city lazily dubbed by some as the capital of Brexit has once again proven to the world that we are so much more than that,” Snell said in his victory speech.
“This city will not allow ourselves to be defined by last year’s referendum. And we will not allow ourselves to be divided by the result. Nor will we be divided by race, or faith, or creed.
“Tonight the people of Stoke-on-Trent have chosen the politics of hope over the politics of fear.
“We have said with one voice that hatred and bigotry are not welcome here. This is a proud city and we stand together.”
Labour’s Snell won 7,853 votes to UKIP’s 5,233.
Paul Nuttall has suffered a series of setbacks in the lead-up to the by-election. He was forced to apologise for falsely claiming he lost “close friends” in the Hillsborough disaster.
In Copeland, Trudy Harrison took the seat which has safely been Labour’s since 1935.
In her victory speech, Harrison said: “What has happened here tonight is a truly historic event. You would have to go back more than a century to find an example of a governing party taking a seat from the opposition party in an election like this.
“We have had Labour here for more than 80 years but it has been very clear talking to people throughout this campaign that Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t represent them.”
“They want a party which is on the side of ordinary working people, which will respect the way we voted in the referendum, and which will build a country which represents everyone. That’s why they voted for me tonight.”