News / kingswood
Labour takes victory in Kingswood by-election
Labour candidate Damien Egan has won the Kingswood by-election, overturning the Conservative majority there.
Egan beat Conservative candidate Samuel Bromiley by over 2,000 votes with 11,176 votes, while Bromley received 8,675 votes, overturning a Conservative majority of 11,220.
Speaking after his win, the former mayor of Lewisham in London who grew up in Kingswood said 14 years of Conservative government had “sucked the hope out of our country.”
is needed now More than ever
“The work to give Kingswood its future back starts now.”
Reform UK candidate James Lowe came third with 2,578 votes, with Green Party candidate Lorraine Francis receiving 1,450. Lib Dem candidate Andrew Brown received 861 and UKIP candidate Nicholas Wood received 129.
From left to right: Reform candidate James Lowe, Lib Dem candidate Andrew Brown, Labour candidate Damien Egan and Green candidate Lorraine Francis
There was a 37.11 per cent turnout at the Kingswood by-election on Wednesday, which was triggered by the resignation of Tory MP Chris Skidmore over the government’s decision to licence new oil and gas. The seat has been blue since 2010.
Damien Egan had already been selected as Labour’s candidate for the new Bristol North East constituency, which will come into existence with the general election this year.
Egan beat mayor Marvin Rees to be selected as Labour’s North East candidate, and could take up the role in a matter of months.
Labour also secured a second win on Wednesday evening, overturning a huge majority to take Conservative MP Peter Bone’s former Wellingborough seat.
All photos: Stephen Sumner
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