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LONDON — The U.K. Labour Party has suffered a historic defeat in its first major test of strength since the 2019 general election, losing the northern seat of Hartlepool to Boris Johnson’s Conservatives.
Hartlepool has consistently returned Labour MPs since the constituency’s creation 1974 and held out against the wave of “red wall” towns which turned blue in 2019. A fierce battle for its control was sparked when the previous MP stood down in March, prompting a by-election.
Labour representatives admitted overnight they had lost the traditional stronghold, with confirmation early on Friday morning that the party had been beaten by 6940 votes. The Tories overturned a majority of 3595 with a swing from Labour of 16 percent — a stunning and highly unusual victory for the government party in mid-term.
The Conservatives’ Jill Mortimer, a state-school educated farmer, won out over Labour’s Paul Williams, an NHS doctor and former MP. He backed Remain during the Brexit vote and was part of parliamentary efforts during Theresa May’s premiership to bring about a second referendum. That appears to have gone down badly in a seat which voted solidly to leave the EU with 69.6 percent backing Leave.
Labour MP Jim McMahon told BBC News: “It’s clearly very disappointing.”
The Tory win will be greeted as a triumph by the prime minister after weeks of criticism about lobbying and party donations, and sets the scene for what could be a successful weekend of results for his party.
Keir Starmer, the opposition leader, is likely to face the toughest moment of his stewardship since he took over a year ago.
The Hartlepool by-election is one of the most keenly watched races of the U.K.’s so-called Super Thursday, a bumper crop of local, mayoral, Scottish parliament and Welsh Senedd elections.
Other results will filter out across the weekend, with a verdict expected on whether Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP has managed to win an overall majority late on Saturday.
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