Labour has won the Oldham West and Royton by-election – and by a larger margin than almost anyone predicted. MPs returning from the seat warned that the party’s majority could fall into the low thousands from 14,738 in May. But this morning it stands at 10,722 on a turnout of 40 per cent (down from 60 per cent).
The party’s vote share actually rose to 62.1 per cent from 54.8 per cent, while second-placed Ukip’s increased by just 2.7 per cent to 23.4 per cent. (A Lib Dem source told me yesterday morning that Labour was “smashing it”.) It was a poor night for the Tories, who, despite their attempts at a northern revival, saw their vote shared reduced by 9.6 per cent. The Lib Dems, meanwhile, started the new parliament as they spent the last one by again losing their deposit.
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