2023 Tamworth by-election

Last updated

2023 Tamworth by-election
←  2019 19 October 2023 Next  →
Tamworth constituency
Turnout35.9%
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Official portrait of Sarah Edwards MP (cropped).jpg Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits Tamworth (53251069679) (cropped).jpg No image.svg
Candidate Sarah Edwards Andrew CooperIan Cooper
Party Labour Conservative Reform UK
Popular vote11,71910,4031,376
Percentage45.8%40.7%5.4%
SwingIncrease2.svg22.1 pp Decrease2.svg25.6 pp New
Tamworth2007Constituency.svg
Boundary of the Tamworth constituency in Staffordshire
MP before election

Chris Pincher
Independent

Elected MP

Sarah Edwards
Labour

The 2023 Tamworth by-election was held on 19 October 2023 [1] for the UK parliamentary constituency of Tamworth, due to the resignation of former Conservative MP Chris Pincher. [2] Pincher had announced his resignation following a sexual misconduct scandal, and his recommended suspension from the House of Commons for eight weeks. [3] The Tamworth by-election was held on the same day as the 2023 Mid Bedfordshire by-election.

Contents

Sarah Edwards, the Labour candidate, won the Tamworth seat with a 23.9% swing, the second-biggest from Conservative to Labour since the 1945 national election. [4] The turnout of the by-election was 35.9%. [5]

Background

Chris Pincher resignation

Chris Pincher, a former Deputy Chief Whip, was involved in a controversy following allegations of sexual misconduct. Pincher resigned as Deputy Chief Whip on 30 June 2022, and was suspended as a Conservative MP following allegations that he had sexually assaulted two men. Further allegations were made in July, which antedated his appointment by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who originally denied knowledge of the allegations. It was later revealed Johnson had been aware, and many cited this scandal as the final straw that led to Johnson's resignation. [6] [7] [8]

The Standards Committee upheld the allegations of sexual assault in July and recommended an eight-week suspension from the Commons. Pincher appealed the decision, [9] but lost the appeal. [10] The eight-week suspension would have been enough to trigger a recall petition, but Pincher resigned before the House could vote on the recommended suspension. [11]

Constituency

The Tamworth constituency consists of the southeastern corner of Staffordshire, including the towns of Fazeley and Tamworth. It was previously considered to be a bellwether constituency, but had become a Conservative safe seat in recent years, with a majority of nearly 20,000 in the 2019 election. During the New Labour years of 1997 to 2010, Brian Jenkins served as the constituency's MP. [12] The constituency voted 66% for leave in the 2016 EU membership referendum. [13] The constituency last had a by-election in 1996, when it was known as South East Staffordshire. Jenkins, the Labour candidate, took the seat from the Conservatives. [14]

Candidates

On 18 June 2023, prior to Pincher's resignation, Conservative MP Eddie Hughes had been selected as the candidate for Tamworth at the next general election. [15] Hughes is currently the MP for the nearby Walsall North constituency, which will be abolished at the next general election under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies. Had Hughes stood and won the by-election, this would have triggered another by-election by means of his vacating the seat for Walsall North. However, Hughes ruled out contesting the by-election on 7 September. [16] [17]

Conservative candidate Andrew Cooper with Rishi Sunak, during the campaign. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits Tamworth (53251209555).jpg
Conservative candidate Andrew Cooper with Rishi Sunak, during the campaign.

The Conservatives selected Andrew Cooper, a councillor in Tamworth since 2021, as their candidate. [18] [19] Cooper was raised on a council estate in Tamworth and served in the Army. [20] Before the election it was reported that he had shared an offensive tweet about families in poverty. [21] At the count he left the stage hurriedly during the winning candidate's speech. [22] [23]

On 23 July, Labour selected Sarah Edwards to be their candidate. [24] She is a Unite union official from Moseley, Birmingham, who has worked for the charity Oxfam. [25]

Sunny Virk, a local barrister and mediator, was the Liberal Democrat candidate. [26] He would later contest the 2024 West Midlands mayoral election, coming last. Ian Cooper is the Reform UK candidate. [26] Former university lecturer Dr. Sue Howarth stood for the Green Party. [26] Robert Bilcliff stood for the UK Independence Party. He was a member of Tamworth Borough Council for Stonydelph from 2016 to 2021. [27] Ashlea Simon, the chair of Britain First, stood for that party. [28]

Local teacher Richard Kingstone, a former Mayor of Tamworth, announced his intention to stand as an independent, but later made a statement announcing he would no longer be standing due to personal circumstances. [29]

Result

Bar chart of the election result. 2023 Tamworth by-election.svg
Bar chart of the election result.
2023 Tamworth by-election [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sarah Edwards 11,719 45.8 +22.1
Conservative Andrew Cooper10,40340.7–25.6
Reform UK Ian Cooper1,3735.4New
Britain First Ashlea Simon5802.3New
UKIP Robert Bilcliff4361.7–0.1
Green Sue Howarth4171.6–0.4
Liberal Democrats Sunny Virk4171.6–3.7
Monster Raving Loony Howling Laud Hope 1550.6New
No descriptionPeter Longman860.3New
Majority1,3165.1N/A
Turnout 25,58635.9–28.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +23.9

A similar substantial swing, resulting in a Labour gain from the Conservatives, was seen in the concurrent Mid Bedfordshire by-election. Psephologist John Curtice determined these results to be "one of worst nights any government has endured". [31]

Parties to the right of the Conservatives (Reform UK, Britain First and UKIP) received a total combined vote of 9.4%, although Politics.co.uk suggested that this was due to the low turnout. [32]

Previous result

General election 2019: Tamworth [33]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chris Pincher 30,542 66.3 Increase2.svg 5.3
Labour Co-op Chris Bain10,90823.7Decrease2.svg 11.1
Liberal Democrats Rob Wheway2,4265.3Increase2.svg 1.1
Green Andrew Tilley9352.0New
UKIP Robert Bilcliff8141.8New
Independent John Wright4310.9New
Majority19,63442.6Increase2.svg 16.4
Turnout 46,05664.3Decrease2.svg 1.8
Conservative hold Swing Increase2.svg 8.2

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamworth (UK Parliament constituency)</span> UK Parliament constituency since 2010

Tamworth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, based on the town of Tamworth in Staffordshire, England. The seat is currently represented by Sarah Edwards of the Labour Party, following a by-election in October 2023. It was previously held by Chris Pincher of the Conservative Party, who held the seat from 2010 to 2023, when he resigned. He had been suspended from the party since July 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mid Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1918 onwards

Mid Bedfordshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Alistair Strathern of the Labour Party since a 2023 by-election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross Thomson</span> Scottish Conservative politician

Ross Thomson is a former Scottish Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Aberdeen South from 2017 to 2019. Thomson was the first Conservative MP elected for Aberdeen South since the 1992 general election, 25 years earlier. He was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the North East Scotland region from May 2016 until June 2017. He was elected to Aberdeen City Council in the 2012 local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Pincher</span> British Conservative politician (born 1969)

Christopher John Pincher is a British former politician and member of the Conservative Party who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamworth from 2010 until his resignation in 2023. Pincher served as Government Deputy Chief Whip, and Treasurer of the Household from 2018 to 2019 and from February to June 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recall of MPs Act 2015</span> United Kingdom constitutional legislation

The Recall of MPs Act 2015 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that makes provision for constituents to recall their member of Parliament (MP) and trigger a by-election. It received royal assent on 26 March 2015 after being introduced on 11 September 2014.

The next United Kingdom general election must be held no later than 28 January 2025. It will determine the composition of the House of Commons, which determines the next Government of the United Kingdom. Significant constituency boundary changes will be in effect, the first such changes since before the 2010 general election. In addition, this will be the first UK general election where physical forms of voter identification will be a legal requirement to vote in Great Britain. The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, has said it is his "working assumption" that the next general election will be held in 2024.

This article lists the election results of the Brexit Party, known since 2021 as Reform UK, in UK parliamentary elections and in elections to the European Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Festus Akinbusoye</span> British politician (born 1978)

Festus Akinbusoye is a British Conservative Party politician who was the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner from 2021 to 2024. He was the first black Briton to serve as a Police and Crime Commissioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Pincher scandal</span> 2022 political controversy in the United Kingdom

The Chris Pincher scandal was a political controversy in the United Kingdom related to allegations of sexual misconduct by the former Conservative Party Deputy Chief Whip, Chris Pincher. In early July 2022, allegations of Pincher's misconduct emerged, including allegations that pre-dated his appointment as Deputy Chief Whip.

The October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election was triggered by Liz Truss's announcement that she would resign as Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, amid an economic and political crisis.

A list of events relating to politics and government in the United Kingdom during 2023.

A by-election took place in the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Rutherglen and Hamilton West on 5 October 2023, following the recall of incumbent MP Margaret Ferrier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Mid Bedfordshire by-election</span> UK parliamentary by-election

A by-election took place on 19 October 2023 in the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Mid Bedfordshire. It took place on the same day as the 2023 Tamworth by-election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Edwards (British politician)</span> British politician (born 1988)

Sarah Siena Edwards is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamworth in Staffordshire since a by-election in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Wellingborough by-election</span> By-election in the United Kingdom

A by-election took place on Thursday 15 February 2024 in the UK Parliament constituency of Wellingborough. This followed a recall petition held in late 2023 that removed the incumbent MP Peter Bone under the terms of the Recall of MPs Act 2015, triggered by his six-week suspension from the House of Commons for bullying and sexual harassment.

References

  1. ↑ "Elections 2023". Tamworth Borough Council. Tamworth Borough Council. Retrieved 13 September 2023. UK Parliamentary By-Election – Thursday 19 October 2023
  2. ↑ "MP Chris Pincher resigns over groping suspension". BBC News. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Allegretti, Aubrey (4 September 2023). "MP Chris Pincher loses appeal against eight-week suspension". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  4. ↑ "Labour wins Tamworth by-election with second-biggest swing since 1945". Sky News. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Morton, Becky (20 October 2023). "Labour overturns huge majorities to inflict two by-election defeats on Tories". BBC News. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  6. ↑ Murray, Jessica (25 July 2022). "'He needs to resign': Chris Pincher's constituents on their disgraced MP". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  7. ↑ Wells, Ione (8 July 2022). "How I showed that Boris Johnson knew about Chris Pincher – and why the truth brought him down". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  8. ↑ Buchan, Lizzy (21 October 2022). "All worst Boris Johnson scandals that helped oust him - in case Tories forget". mirror. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "Chris Pincher appeals against proposed eight-week Commons suspension". The Guardian. PA Media. 20 July 2023. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  10. ↑ "Chris Pincher appeal against suspension dismissed by parliament watchdog". Sky News. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  11. ↑ "Tory MP Chris Pincher resigns after suspension from Commons over groping allegations". Sky News. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Brian Jenkins, former MP, Tamworth". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  13. ↑ "Seat Details - Tamworth". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  14. ↑ Ibrahim, Youssef M. (13 April 1996). "Labor Deals Major's Tories A New Blow In Local Vote". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  15. ↑ Thandi, Gurdip (19 June 2023). "MP to contest Tamworth at next election". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  16. ↑ "MP Chris Pincher quits after losing groping appeal". BBC News. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  17. ↑ Gutteridge, Nick (7 September 2023). "Tories scramble for by-election candidate after Chris Pincher resigns". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  18. ↑ "Conservatives pick by-election candidate in Tamworth". BBC News. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  19. ↑ "Councillor details - Councillor Andrew Cooper". democracy.tamworth.gov.uk. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  20. ↑ "Tamworth by-election 2023: The candidates standing". BBC News. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  21. ↑ Adu, Aletha (18 October 2023). "Tory candidate shared post using foul language towards struggling parents". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  22. ↑ "Moment Tory candidate Andrew Cooper storms off after losing Tamworth by-election". The Independent. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  23. ↑ Barton, Alex (20 October 2023). "Watch: Tory candidate bolts from Tamworth by-election while winner gives victory speech". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  24. ↑ "Labour candidate for by-election confirmed". BBC News. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  25. ↑ Belger, Tom (8 September 2023). "Roundup: Winning Tamworth, new PLP sec, donors flood in but councils run dry". LabourList . Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  26. 1 2 3 "Tamworth by-election: Who is standing to replace Chris Pincher as MP?". ITV News . 15 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  27. ↑ Ashdown, Kerry (5 May 2021). "All the candidates standing in Tamworth's three elections". burtonmail. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  28. ↑ Sommerlad, Nick (19 June 2022). "Far-right Britain First running in by-election near murdered MP's constituency". mirror. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  29. ↑ Live, Lichfield (23 September 2023). "Potential candidate confirms he has dropped out of the by-election race". Lichfield Live®. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  30. ↑ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED, NOTICE OF POLL & SITUATION OF POLLING STATIONS" (PDF). Tamworth Borough Council. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  31. ↑ "Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire by-elections 'one of worst nights any government has endured'". BBC News. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  32. ↑ "Reform UK, UKIP and Britain First win a combined vote of 9.4 per cent in low-turnout Tamworth by-election". Politics.co.uk. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  33. ↑ "Tamworth Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.