Ashley Dalton's striking red suit and late arrival encapsulated Labour's confidence as the last few votes were counted.
Other candidates had been milling around Burscough Racquet & Fitness Club for hours, but Ms Dalton walked into West Lancashire's by-election count just after 1am on Friday (February 10). Within an hour, she was named the constituency's new MP.
It was a comprehensive victory. Labour won 14,068 votes - a 62.3% share, which was a 10% swing from the general election in 2019.
READ MORE: Tories suffer historic defeat as Labour cruise to victory in West Lancashire by-election
Meanwhile, the Conservatives suffered a dreary night. It was their worst ever performance in West Lancashire, winning just 25.4% of the vote.
Though this is a safe seat which Labour have held since 1992, the margin of victory and upward swing send a comprehensive message. A message which Ms Dalton made emphatically when she took to the stage.
She said: "My biggest thanks tonight is to every single person across West Lancashire who has put their trust in me to be your voice in Parliament. They’ve sent a message to this Conservative government. They do not have confidence in them to govern, or the Prime Minister to lead.
"Prime Minister, your government has no ideas or is inclined to address the big issues facing our country, like the record levels of child poverty and people dying waiting for ambulances. It’s not acceptable that children in West Lancashire, if they fall ill at night, can’t be taken to their local A&E because it’s closed.
"And it’s not acceptable that child poverty levels have only increased across West Lancashire because of some of the most punitive decisions made by this government over the last decade."
It was the second electoral test of Mr Sunak's premiership. Though nobody expected a Conservative victory, a bruising defeat will leave the party with many questions.
The night started badly for the Conservatives. Britain Predicts' forecast showed a 26% vote share for the Tories, shattering any hope that the party could reach a level of respectability.
In reality, matters were slightly worse. Just 5,742 voters backed Conservative candidate Mike Prendergast - a 25.4% share of the vote.
Despite the manner of Labour's victory, Mr Prendergast told the ECHO his party can go into an election in "good shape" and he denied that Labour were gaining momentum.
Before the result was declared, but after the forecast had dampened Tory spirits, he told the ECHO: "West Lancashire has always been a very safe Labour seat. I think they’ve had it since 1992, so it was always going to be an uphill struggle. But I think we put up a good local campaign and we got a lot of people to come out and vote for us.
"I’m reasonably pleased with the campaign that we put on.
"Nationally, I think that we’re going to be focused on delivering the priorities that the Prime Minister spoke about earlier in the year - halving inflation, growing the economy, bringing down debt, bringing down the waiting list and tackling the small boat issue as well.
"If we can deliver on those priorities, which we’re working towards, then I’m confident that we’ll go into a general election in good shape."
He added: "I wouldn’t describe Labour as buoyant. I’m not sure that they’ve shown that they’re ready for the government to be honest with you. When I’ve been out talking to people on the doorsteps, there’s no love for Keir Starmer, there really isn’t."
Ms Dalton disagrees. It would appear the voters do as well.
The winning candidate told the count: "The people of West Lancashire have put their trust in Keir Starmer’s Labour. We provide hope. A hope that we can build a better Britain, which means a better Lancashire."
With under two years until a general election, Labour are taking the fight to the Conservatives and have growing confidence in winning. Tonight's victory was a given, but the margin of it underlines the disparate directions in which Britain's two main parties are heading.
Many believe Mr Starmer's party are readying themselves for government. Labour's newest MP signed off with a message as unequivocal as her suit.
She told the room: "Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives no longer have a mandate to govern. His government has no ideas, no plan to address the big issues facing our country.
"The voters tonight have sent a message to the Prime Minister: Your government is failing the British people, move out of the way, let Labour take over, it’s time for a General Election."
If West Lancashire's result is anything to go by, it is a proposal that the Conservatives should fear.
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