LABOUR has dealt a double by-election blow by winning two previously safe Tory strongholds.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party overturned majorities in the tens of thousands ahead of the general election expected later this year.
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In Kingswood, Labour’s Damien Egan defeated Tory Sam Bromiley by a majority of 2,501, despite it previously being safely in the Tories’ grips.
The Tories were defending a 11,220 majority but a 16.4 percentage point swing to Labour saw that evaporated.
Two hours later, there was even better news for Sir Keir as his party managed to overturn a majority of a 18,540 in Wellingborough.
Labour’s Gen Kitchen took the seat with a majority of nearly 6,436 over her Tory rival Helen Harrison.
The PM said the circumstances surrounding the by-elections were “particularly challenging” but that his plan is “working”.
He said: “Now I believe our plan is working. At the start of this year we’re heading in the right direction, taxes are coming down, inflation is falling, and if we stick with that plan we can deliver everyone a brighter future.”
Tory Party chairman Richard Holden said the results were “very disappointing” but also stressed the need to look at the context in which the by-elections happened.
He told Sky News: “Very disappointing results – no need to shy away from that – in both Kingswood and Wellingborough.
“I think one of the most disappointing things for me though is the turnout in the by-elections was so significantly down compared to the previous general elections in both seats. I want to see people actively participating in democracy.
“I think that shows we’ve got a lot to do to get people out there and enthused to vote again, and probably the Opposition have a similar challenge.”
He added: “I think we’ve got to look at both these by-elections in the context in which they happened as well.
“We had an MP in Kingswood who stood down and also obviously in Wellingborough we had a parliamentary investigation, which led to a recall petition which led to an MP being forced to stand down.
“Not ideal circumstances for any form of by-election for any party.”
The opposition will be breathing a sigh of relief after days of negative headlines over the U-turn on the £28bn green pledge and a row about the handling of antisemitism allegations.
The Labour leader hailed the “fantastic” results, insisting they demonstrate people “want change and are ready to put their faith in a changed Labour Party to deliver it”.
He added: “By winning in these Tory strongholds, we can confidently say that Labour is back in the service of working people and we will work tirelessly to deliver for them.
“The Tories have failed. Rishi’s recession proves that. That’s why we’ve seen so many former Conservative voters switching directly to this changed Labour Party.
“Those who gave us their trust in Kingswood and Wellingborough, and those considering doing so, can be safe in the knowledge that we will spend every day working to get Britain’s future back.”
Speaking from the election count in Kingswood, former Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg sought to downplay the defeats.
He said: “Does it tell you anything about the general election? Almost certainly not.
“By-elections are an opportunity for people not to turn out, to protest, and at ensuing general elections they don’t give a consistent guide to what happens.”
The MP for North East Somerset also said he thought the result in Kingswood would be worse.
While Labour has held a sustained double-digit advantage over the Tories in national opinion polls, the circumstances over the by-elections did not make things easier for Mr Sunak.
Kingswood’s vote was triggered by Chris Skidmore’s resignation as an MP in protest at Government legislation to boost North Sea oil and gas drilling.
What the by-election double whammy means for the Tories
By Martina Bet, Political Correspondent
The Tories have suffered the loss of two previously safe Tory seats in Wellingborough and Kingswood.
The party expected a difficult night, partly because governing parties often suffer a by-election backlash but also because of the controversies that led to the two vacancies.
But can the defeats be shrugged off as cases of mid-term blues?
Wellingborough and Kingswood are not the only two Tory strongholds that have collapsed in recent by-elections.
Labour made history in October last year by winning a by-election in the Mid Bedfordshire parliamentary seat which had been held by the Tories since 1931.
The Government has also now clocked up more by-election losses in any single Parliament than any administration since the 1960s.
With Mr Sunak having to go to the country by January 2025 at the latest, these latest defeats will undoubtedly worry the PM.
But first, he’s got a bigger fish to fry with Tory rebels likely to become even more rattled.
Last month, former cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke tried to have him ousted as leader, claiming that the party would be “massacred” at the next election if he remained prime minister.
Sir Simon said he had acted alone and a string of Tories immediately came to the defence of the PM.
But the by-election defeats might leave more MP malcontents within the party calling for change.
On Sunday, Mr Sunak told critics who doubt he can turn his party’s fortunes around that he is “totally up for the fight”.
In an interview with The Times, he also promised to reward hard work with tax cuts and struck an optimistic note over the UK’s economic prospects.
With the spring budget around the corner, disgruntled Tories will likely see it as a pivotal moment, hoping for bold fiscal policies they believe could clinch a general election victory.
The by-election in Northamptonshire‘s Wellingborough came after Mr Bone received a six-week suspension from the Commons when an inquiry found he had subjected a staff member to bullying and sexual misconduct.
The selection of Mr Bone’s partner, Ms Harrison, as the Tory candidate standing in his former seat was also highly controversial, with the PM declining to say last month whether he would be campaigning for her.
Losing both seats means the Government has clocked up more by-election losses in any single Parliament than any administration since the 1960s.
It also comes the day after it was officially announced the UK had entered a recession at the end of 2023.
More worryingly for Mr Sunak, it could also embolden Tory rebels who want him replaced after former cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke tried to have him ousted as leader last month.
The performance of Reform UK in both by-elections will also provide some unease amongst Tory strategists, as the successor of the Brexit Party took home more than 10 per cent of the votes in both seats.
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