Easy win for Labour in Chester by-election
Labour has won the City of Chester by-election in the first public vote since Rishi Sunak was elevated to the position of Prime Minister.
Cheshire West and Chester councillor Samantha Dixon re-won the seat for Labour nearly 11,000 more than the Conservative candidate.
The election was triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Chris Matheson, who stood down following an investigation by a Parliamentary watchdog into claims of “serious sexual misconduct.”
Matheson, who was facing a Parliamentary suspension denied the accusations and chose to step down.
Ms Dixon defeated Conservative candidate and NHS nurse Liz Wardlaw.
Turnout was 41.2%, with 28,541 votes cast in total, which is down from 71.7% turnout in the 2019 general election.
In her victory speech, Ms Dixon said, “Tonight the people of Chester have sent a clear message.”
“They have said Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives no longer have a mandate to govern.”
Result in full:
| Names of candidates | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| BARTON, Jeanette Rochelle Bassford
(Commonly known as: Jeanie Barton) |
Reform UK | 773 |
| BOWERS, Paul Richard | Green Party | 987 |
| DIXON, Samantha Kate | Labour Party | 17,309 |
| GRIFFITHS, Cain Steven | UK Independence Party (UKIP) | 179 |
| HERD, Robert Charles
(Commonly known as: Rob Herd) |
Liberal Democrats | 2,368 |
| HEWISON, Richard John Howard | Rejoin EU | 277 |
| HOPE, Alan
(Commonly known as: Howling Laud Hope) |
The Official Monster Raving Loony Party | 156 |
| QUARTERMAINE, Christopher Mark
(Commonly known as: Chris Quartermaine) |
Freedom Alliance. The Real Alternative | 91 |
| WARDLAW, Elizabeth
(Commonly known as: Liz Wardlaw) |
The Conservative Party Candidate | 6,335 |
City of Chester parliamentary by-election, result:
LAB: 61.2% (+11.6)
CON: 22.4% (-15.9)
LDEM: 8.4% (+1.5)
GRN: 2.8% (+0.1)
REF: 2.7% (+0.2)
REU: 1.0% (+1.0)
UKIP: 0.6% (+0.6)
MRLP: 0.6% (+0.6)
FA: 0.3% (+0.3)— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) December 2, 2022
[Photo: @shitchester]
