Two ex-local London politicians sworn in as MPs after Labour ousted Tories in by-elections

Former Mayor of Lewisham Damien Egan won in Kingswood, south Gloucestershire, and ex-Newham councillor Gen Kitchen in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
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Two former London local politicians took their seats as MPs in the Commons after Labour ousted Tories in two by-elections.

Former Mayor of Lewisham Damien Egan won in Kingswood, south Gloucestershire, and ex-Newham councillor Gen Kitchen was victorious in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, both overturning large Tory majorities.

On Monday afternoon, they swore allegiance to King Charles at the start of the Commons sitting, taking their seats before defence questions.

The by-election results were a heavy blow to the Conservatives, especially given that they saw Reform UK getting double-digit backing in both by-elections.

They have sparked fresh talk of a possible challenge to Rishi Sunak if the party’s position in the polls, some 20 points behind Labour, does not improve.

But Education Secretary Gillian Keegan insisted that the Government and party had to stick to its “plan”.

She told Times Radio: “We have got a plan.

“Obviously it’s been very difficult times for the last couple of years and it’s difficult times at the moment.

“We know the impacts of inflation, we know that there is war going on in Ukraine...obviously the conflict in the Middle East as well.

“All of those impact us here as well.”

Gen Kitchen (centre) after being declared winner in the Wellingborough by-election (Joe Giddens/PA)
PA Wire

She added: “We have to stick with the plan, the plan is working...we are going to continue to try to grow the economy and the forecasts are looking more hopeful on that front.

“But there is no magic answers here.”

But pressed on the fact that Britain was declared to have fallen into recession at the end of last year, she added: “If you look at the forecasts going forward, pretty much everybody is predicting growth throughout this year and also that inflation will continue to fall.”

But polls suggest the country now wants a change of government.

The by-election losses also mean the Government has clocked up more by-election defeats in a single Parliament than any Government since the 1966-70 Labour administration of Harold Wilson, when there were 15.

At the end of last week, Mr Egan defeated Conservative Sam Bromiley in Kingswood, securing 11,176 votes and a majority of 2,501.

He overturned a Tory majority of more than 11,000, with a swing of 16.4 percentage points.

Reform came third with 10 per cent of the vote in the by-election held after the Government’s former net zero tsar Chris Skidmore quit over the scaling back of action to address global warming.

Turnout was 37.11 per cent.

Newly elected Labour MP Damien Egan after being declared winner in the Kingswood by-election (Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
PA Wire

Ms Kitchen won in Wellingborough, overturning a Conservative majority of more than 18,500, and with a swing in the share of the vote of 28.5 percentage points which is the second biggest swing from Tory to Labour at a by-election since the Second World War.

She got 13,844 votes, with Tory Helen Harrison 7,408.

Reform’s Ben Habib finished third with 13 per cent of the vote, or 3,919, the party’s best ever by-election result which will alarm many Tory MPs who could lose their seats if this trend is repeated across the country.

The by-election was triggered after Conservative MP Peter Bone, 71, was forced out after a probe by Parliament’s behaviour watchdog which found he broke sexual misconduct rules and upheld five allegations of bullying against him.

The selection of Mr Bone’s partner, Ms Harrison, as the Conservative candidate in his former seat sparked controversy.

The turnout at Wellingborough was 38.1 per cent.

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