Labour in 'best position in 12 years' after strong…

Labour in 'best position in 12 years' after strong Chester win

Labour landed a comprehensive by-election win in Chester in Rishi Sunak's first electoral test as Prime Minister.

Former council leader Samantha Dixon secured a whopping 61% of the vote, with a 12% swing away from the Conservatives. This was a seat Labour was expected to hold after former MP Christ Matheson stood down over sexual misconduct allegations, but the manner of the result will provide a big boost to party leader Keir Starmer.

That's because this is the sort of result and the sort of electoral swing that would land the Labour Party a majority in Parliament at the next General Election - likely to be in around two years.

Speaking after the result came in, elections guru Professor John Curtice told BBC Radio 4 that Labour are "in a stronger position than they have ever been in the last 12 years," adding that the performance is "consistent" with the last Parliament that ended in Conservative defeat, when John Major lost to Tony Blair in a landslide.

The result also continues a trend of the Conservatives performing badly in by-elections, although this result is not as damaging as recent defeats in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton, which saw the Tories lose seats to Labour and the Lib Dems respectively.

But this was the first ballot box test for Rishi Sunak and the result continued the idea that he has made little impact in turning around his party's fortunes after the damage done by predecessors Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. The new Prime Minister - elected only by Tory MPs - has struggled to eat into Labour's sizeable polling lead since his election in October.

Speaking after the result, Wirral South MP and shadow pensions minister Alison McGovern, a key figure in the campaign, said: "The people of Chester have sent a clear message to Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government — they are fed up of Tory rule and want the change Labour offers."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Ms Dixon will be "an excellent MP for the City of Chester." He added: "The message to Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government is clear: People are fed up of 12 years of Tory rule and want the change Labour offers. It's time for a Labour government."

City of Chester by-election result: