By-election counts are the FA Cup ties of British politics.
Some go true to type, however many are tense, nail-biting, go deep into further time and supply upsets and shocks by political big killers.
Writer and broadcaster Iain Dale has revealed a weighty guide, British By-elections: The 88 By-election Campaigns That Formed Our Politics.
Might Labour’s King of the North, soccer fanatic Andy Burnham, who’s tipped to come back off the bench and contest Gorton and Denton in a by-election, be subsequent?
Burnham fuelled hypothesis a couple of Commons comeback when he mentioned in an interview on Thursday he had “never ruled out going back to Westminster”.
With chapters written by politicians, teachers and journalists in his guide, Dale claims his 88 are essentially the most consequential by-elections of the fashionable period.
However I’ve lined 44, if I am not mistaken, beginning in 2003, and I am grateful for a couple of mentions within the guide, some flattering, some much less so. However there you go.
“There’s rarely a dull by-election,” Dale writes in his preface. “Some by-elections tackle iconic standing and are remembered a number of a long time after they happen.
“Others quickly disappear into the depths of our memories, rarely to be thought about ever again.”
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Allies of Andy Burnham have launched a brand new marketing campaign group, Mainstream, calling on the federal government to introduce a wealth tax amongst different issues
The latest was Runcorn and Helsby, in Could this yr, when Reform UK’s Sarah Pochin was simply six votes forward of Labour after an all-nighter and a consequence at 6am.
When there is a recount, I’ve joked about VAR holding up the consequence. I even lined one by-election rely, Stretford and Urmston, on the Previous Trafford soccer floor.
Over 22 years of protecting by-election counts I hope I’ve realized the methods of the commerce when the result’s on a knife-edge: One, look intently on the piles of poll papers; two, see which candidate has a victory speech of their hand or pocket.
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Sarah Pochin gained the Runcorn and Helsby by-election in 2025.
Pic: PA
However most essential, three, discover out what’s mentioned within the huddle when the returning officer calls the candidates and their brokers collectively to transient them on the consequence forward of the declaration.
“(Robert) Evans (Labour’s candidate) tipped him off that Labour had lost by 1,000 votes and Craig passed on the revelation on live TV.”
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Jon Craig on the Stretford and Urmston by-election rely in December 2023
Thanks, Joe. I might saved quiet about how I found the consequence till now.
A evident omission from the guide, in my view, is George Galloway’s upset in Bradford West in 2012.
“Think I’m going to win, Jon,” he replied immediately.
“Labour and Tory MPs think so too,” I advised him. “Keen to get you on TV.” I referred to as him and urged him to come back to the rely and declare victory.
And ‘Attractive George’, by no means one to be shy or flip down publicity, duly obliged. He’d turned a Labour majority of almost 6,000 right into a victory for his Respect Occasion by greater than 10,000 votes, a swing of greater than 50%.
Richmond Park, in 2016, and Copeland, 2017, are within the guide. My reminiscence of Richmond Park is chasing a really indignant Zac Goldsmith, the Tory Heathrow growth insurgent, across the rely after he misplaced to the Lib Dem Sarah Olney.
Hartlepool, in 2021, was a by-election that actually did tackle iconic standing. It was a uncommon Tory achieve, a victory for Boris Johnson within the Purple Wall and it threw the brand new Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer right into a panic.
He sacked his chief whip, Nick Brown, tried to demote his deputy, Angela Rayner. However that backfired, as she acquired much more titles. He is since admitted he thought-about quitting.
The consequence got here at 7.10am, by which era an enormous inflatable Boris Johnson doll had been erected exterior the rely. My post-results broadcasts had been from in entrance of that.
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Members of Hartlepool’s enterprise neighborhood erected a 30-foot inflatable mannequin of Boris Johnson exterior the rely in 2021. Pic: PA.
Oh, and on the Monday, again in Westminster, I examined constructive for COVID. Purple Wall COVID.
The second Batley and Spen by-election, later in 2021, noticed ‘Attractive George’ try and repeat his Bradford West triumph. Tracy Brabin had succeeded the murdered Jo Cox in 2016 however had give up to turn out to be West Yorkshire mayor.
This time Kim Leadbeater, Jo’s sister and now the assisted dying crusader, was Labour’s candidate. Galloway was described by creator Emma Burnell within the guide as “a serial candidate over the years, with varying levels of success”.
This “Red Wall” conflict was, although, a basic knife-edge by-election, operating deep into further time, with Leadbeater squeezing residence by 323 votes forward of the Tory candidate Ryan Stephenson. Cue VAR gags throughout the delays.
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Votes being counted on the Batley and Spen by-election in 2021. Pic: PA
“At one point, Sky’s Jon Craig declared that the Tories had won and it was just a case of by how much. However, Stephenson delights in telling the story of his entering the count later (now aware of how the night had gone) to overhear Craig announcing to the nation: ‘The loser, Mr Stephenson, has now arrived.’
“Leadbeater, in the meantime, had not ready her victory speech, satisfied as she was that she had misplaced.” My recollection, nonetheless, is totally different and I am certain she did have a speech. (Lesson two)
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Jon Craig celebrated protecting his fortieth by-election in Mid Bedfordshire in 2023.
From new signing to veteran in simply 20 years. It is a merciless world.
In Rochdale final yr, George Galloway was again. And this time he gained by almost 6,000 votes and have become the primary MP elected to signify a fourth totally different Westminster constituency since Winston Churchill, Sunder Katwala tells us within the guide.
George and I are outdated comrades, going again to his days as a left-wing firebrand within the Labour Occasion. I used to be a contact embarrassed at Rochdale, nonetheless, when he mentioned throughout our post-result interview: “You bought me lunch!”
Runcorn and Helsby was so shut – six votes – that the rely dragged on till 6am after an enormous recount. “As the night turned to morning, Labour staff looked more and more nervous,” writes ITV’s Harry Horton within the guide.
“Reform’s team appeared nervous. At one point, a Reform aide instructed photographers to assemble at the door for the arrival of Nigel Farage.
“One broadcaster claimed he’d seen the Reform leaders circling the automobile park exterior however had pushed off when it appeared Labour would possibly sneak a win. Farage later denied something of the type had ever occurred.”
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Nigel Farage with Sarah Pochin after she gained the Runcorn and Helsby by-election
Effectively, because the “one broadcaster” referred to by Harry, there was certainly a automobile circling the automobile park. However, admittedly, it was darkish! All of us make errors.
There have been a couple of blunders. At one rely, not lengthy after she grew to become an MP, I mistook Angela Rayner for Jess Phillips. Fortuitously, she advised me she was flattered. No matter occurred to her?
So the place subsequent on the by-election fixture checklist? Will Andy Burnham contest Gwyne’s seat previous to difficult Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour captaincy?
With Reform UK the challengers in Gorton and Denton, that is a by-election that might be one for VAR.
