'That was a shout': Starmer revels after thumping by-election win in Blackpool South
26% swing. That’s the 5th swing of over 20% for the Labour Party in by elections in recent months and years. It is a fantastic result, a really first class result. And here in Blackpool a message has been sent directly to the Prime Minister, directly to the Prime Minister, because this was a parliamentary vote. This was directly to Rishi Sunak to say we’re fed up with your decline. And your division. And we want change. We want to go forward with Labour and Chris, you’ve smashed that. That wasn’t just a little message, that wasn’t just a murmur. That was a shout from Blackpool. We want change. And Blackpool speaks for the whole country in saying we’ve had enough. Now, after 14 years of failure, 14 years of decline, we need to turn the page and start afresh with Labour, which has a positive plan for the country. A plan to get us building again the houses we desperately need, the infrastructure, the transport to get our NHS back on its feet and functioning properly for the people of Blackpool and across the whole country, to make our streets safe from antisocial behaviour that blights too many communities. That plan is there. We had a positive message into this by-election and we’ve been heard, Chris, you’ve been heard. You’ve been made history even before being sworn in as an MP. You’ve made history here in Blackpool. But coming out of this this morning, there is one clear message. Which is let’s turn the page on this decline. Let’s pull together as a country. We believe in this country. We believe in our businesses and our communities. We don’t accept this hopelessness of the Tories, that nothing can get better. We have a positive case. We want to take our country forward. This is a giant step on that journey. Well done, Chris, and thank you to every single person who voted here yesterday and put their faith in a changed Labour Party. No more decline forward with Labour. Thank you very, very much.