For several months, nervous Labour MPs have looked at the national polls and asked themselves whether their commanding leads can really be trusted. On Thursday night, voters in Chester gave them, at least for now, an answer: yes.
Thursday’s thumping byelection victory, with Labour winning its highest ever majority in the seat in a 14-point vote swing, suggests the party would win a comfortable majority if a general election were held today. It provides further evidence Labour is rebuilding support in the so-called red wall of northern seats, many of which it lost at the last election.
