Labour overturns massive Tory majorities in two seats

Swing like that at election could spell worse defeat for Tories than 1997, says expert

- Nicholas Cecil 

LABOUR scored two historic by-election victories today overturning huge Tory majorities in Tamworth and Mid-Bedfordshire. Sir Keir Starmer’s party seized Mid-Bedfordshire, overturning the largest numerical Conservative majority (24,664) at a by-election since at least 1945. In Tamworth, Staffordshire, Labour pulled off an even bigger swing of 23.9 points, the second largest swing recorded by Labour at a by-election since the Second World War.

Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It is reasonable to argue that the Conservative Party faces the serious prospect of losing the next general election heavily, and maybe even more heavily than they did in 1997. No government has hitherto lost to the principal opposition party in a by-election a seat as safe as Tamworth.” Tony Blair won the 1997 election with a majority of 179.

Tory party chairman Greg Hands stressed the low turnout as pointing to many Conservative voters having stayed at home, rather than switching to Labour.