Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire by-election wins show ‘how far Labour has come’ – Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan

Mr Morgan said the results demonstrated that only Labour can defeat the Tories at the next election to form the next Government.

Labour overturned huge Conservative majorities to win Thursday's two by-elections in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth.

Labour emerged victorious in Mid Bedfordshire - Nadine Dorries' former seat - where the Tories were defending a majority of more than 24,000.

In Mid Bedfordshire, there had been speculation that a split in the anti-Conservative vote with the Lib Dems could allow the Tories to clinch a narrow victory.

The Conservative candidate Festus Akinbusoye came second and Lib Dem Emma Holland-Lindsay a distant third.

If this swing was replicated in Portsmouth, Labour would hold MrMorgan’s Portsmouth South seat and also gain Portsmouth North, currently held by Tory Penny Mordaunt with a majority of 15,780.

The Conservatives were also defeated in Tamworth, where Labour's Sarah Edwards overturned a majority of more than 19,000.

The swing of 23.9% to Labour was the party's third to top 20% this year, after by-elections in Rutherglen and Selby, and the second highest achieved by Labour at a by-election since 1945.

Commenting on Labour gains, Mr Morgan said: “Results in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire show how far the Labour Party has come, winning even in the most traditionally safe Tory seats – and demonstrates we can rebuild trust with communities and win in seats all across the south coast.

“Our campaigns have focused ruthlessly on the issues that matter to local people: tackling crime, bringing down NHS waiting lists and addressing the cost of living.

“We knew these seats would be incredibly difficult to win, but these results show how much the country is crying out for change and how only Labour can defeat the Tories at the next election.”

Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, said: “These are phenomenal results that show Labour is back in the service of working people and redrawing the political map.

“Winning in these Tory strongholds shows that people overwhelmingly want change and they’re ready to put their faith in our changed Labour Party to deliver it.

“Voters across Mid Bedfordshire, Tamworth and Britain want a Labour government determined to deliver for working people, with a proper plan to rebuild our country.

“To those who have given us their trust, and those considering doing so, Labour will spend every day acting in your interests and focused on your priorities. Labour will give Britain its future back.”

On this morning’s media round, Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands sought to blame the “legacy issues” predating Rishi Sunak’s premiership which led up to the two by-elections, suggesting people “were happy with the job Rishi is doing as Prime Minister”.

He pointed to low turnout in both votes, with 44% in Mid Bedfordshire – down from 74% at the last general election – and 36% in Tamworth, down by around 28%.

“I don’t see any enthusiasm for Labour, but clearly there’s been a lot of, if you like, background circumstances in those two by-elections that have also made the job difficult for us,” he told Times Radio.

The results were announced a year to the day after Mr Sunak’s predecessor Liz Truss resigned as prime minister and leave him with a headache as he ends his first 12 months in post.