Peterborough by-election: Labour beats Brexit Party to hold seat

[Denzil_DC]

The Labour Party has seen off a challenge from the Brexit Party and held on to its seat in the Peterborough by-election.

Nigel Farage's candidate Mike Greene had been tipped to win the contest, but union activist Lisa Forbes managed to retain the seat for Labour.

Paul Bristow for the Conservatives came in third place.

...

A total of 15 candidates stood in the by-election, including Beki Selleck for the Lib Dems, and John Whitby for UKIP.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48532869

The by-election, triggered after the previous Labour MP was sent to prison earlier in the year, lost her Labour Party membership and was subject to a recall petition, was widely trailed as a coup in waiting for the Brexit Party after its success in the European elections (Peterborough voted 60% Leave in the EU Referendum).

In the end, the Tory vote held up well enough to let Labour retain the seat with a slightly increased majority (683, compared to 607 in 2017, when Labour took the seat from the Tories), though it looks like it'll be a three-way marginal in the next general election.

Main parties' results (apologies for the Andrew Neil pic):



2017 results for comparison:

Fiona Onasanya (Labour) 22,950
Stewart Jackson (Conservatives) 22,343
Beki Sellick (Liberal Democrats) 1,597
Fiona Radić (Greens) 848

Turnout 67.5%

ETA: Changes in vote share since the 2017 GE: