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| Jeremy Corbyn hails Oldham West and Royton by-election victory | Jeremy Corbyn hails Oldham West and Royton by-election victory |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has hailed a "vote of confidence" in his party after it comfortably held the Oldham West and Royton seat in a by-election. | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has hailed a "vote of confidence" in his party after it comfortably held the Oldham West and Royton seat in a by-election. |
| Its candidate Jim McMahon secured a 10,722-vote majority from UKIP's John Bickley, and a 62% vote share that was higher than at the general election. | Its candidate Jim McMahon secured a 10,722-vote majority from UKIP's John Bickley, and a 62% vote share that was higher than at the general election. |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage is to make a formal complaint about the vote, claiming there was electoral fraud. | UKIP leader Nigel Farage is to make a formal complaint about the vote, claiming there was electoral fraud. |
| People were turning up with "bundles of postal votes", he told the BBC. | People were turning up with "bundles of postal votes", he told the BBC. |
| Live: Oldham by-election reaction | Live: Oldham by-election reaction |
| The by-election was triggered by the death of long-serving Labour MP Michael Meacher, who won the seat at May's general election with a 14,738 majority. Mr McMahon said he had "delivered a result that Michael would be proud of". | The by-election was triggered by the death of long-serving Labour MP Michael Meacher, who won the seat at May's general election with a 14,738 majority. Mr McMahon said he had "delivered a result that Michael would be proud of". |
| 'People's trust' | 'People's trust' |
| Labour's total majority was lower this time around but the party ended up with a higher vote share as the turnout - just over 40% - was lower than at May's poll. | Labour's total majority was lower this time around but the party ended up with a higher vote share as the turnout - just over 40% - was lower than at May's poll. |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is expected in Oldham later to congratulate his new MP. | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is expected in Oldham later to congratulate his new MP. |
| The by-election - the first of this Parliament - was the first major electoral test for Mr Corbyn, who was overwhelmingly elected by Labour members in September but has since faced criticism from some of his MPs - which culminated in a major rebellion over Syria on Wednesday. | The by-election - the first of this Parliament - was the first major electoral test for Mr Corbyn, who was overwhelmingly elected by Labour members in September but has since faced criticism from some of his MPs - which culminated in a major rebellion over Syria on Wednesday. |
| Mr Corbyn said: "By-elections can be difficult for the party holding the seat, and turnouts are often low. | Mr Corbyn said: "By-elections can be difficult for the party holding the seat, and turnouts are often low. |
| "But to increase our share of the vote since the general election is a vote of confidence in our party. | "But to increase our share of the vote since the general election is a vote of confidence in our party. |
| "It's a clear demonstration that Labour is the party working people trust." | "It's a clear demonstration that Labour is the party working people trust." |
| 'Sour grapes' | 'Sour grapes' |
| Labour's Deputy Leader Tom Watson told the BBC that the result was "very, very good" for Mr Corbyn and urged MPs to "swing behind" their leader after what he said was a "difficult week" for the party. | Labour's Deputy Leader Tom Watson told the BBC that the result was "very, very good" for Mr Corbyn and urged MPs to "swing behind" their leader after what he said was a "difficult week" for the party. |
| Mr Watson dismissed UKIP's claims about electoral fraud, saying they sounded like "sour grapes" and if their opponents had an evidence of wrongdoing, they should pass them onto the police. | Mr Watson dismissed UKIP's claims about electoral fraud, saying they sounded like "sour grapes" and if their opponents had an evidence of wrongdoing, they should pass them onto the police. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Arif Ansari, BBC North West political editor | By Arif Ansari, BBC North West political editor |
| This was a surprise result for Labour, but an unexpectedly good one. Only a fortnight ago some were predicting a shock defeat for the party. | This was a surprise result for Labour, but an unexpectedly good one. Only a fortnight ago some were predicting a shock defeat for the party. |
| A large part of it must be down to the candidate Jim McMahon, the former council leader. | A large part of it must be down to the candidate Jim McMahon, the former council leader. |
| He was recognised as the local candidate. But UKIP tried to turn this into a referendum on Jeremy Corbyn, even branding him a "security risk". Clearly it failed and suggests he's not as politically toxic as his opponents wish. | He was recognised as the local candidate. But UKIP tried to turn this into a referendum on Jeremy Corbyn, even branding him a "security risk". Clearly it failed and suggests he's not as politically toxic as his opponents wish. |
| UKIP blames the postal vote and the number of Asian voters who use it. But that's the system the party is up against. | UKIP blames the postal vote and the number of Asian voters who use it. But that's the system the party is up against. |
| UKIP's result was far worse than last year's Heywood and Middleton by-election and much more disappointing than it expected. And it leaves them struggling with a strategy to win seats from Labour in the north of England. | UKIP's result was far worse than last year's Heywood and Middleton by-election and much more disappointing than it expected. And it leaves them struggling with a strategy to win seats from Labour in the north of England. |
| UKIP complains over 'by-election fraud' | |
| However, Mr Farage raised claims that the postal vote was rigged, telling the BBC there were "stories of things that shouldn't have been happening" - including claims people turned up at polling stations with multiple postal votes. | However, Mr Farage raised claims that the postal vote was rigged, telling the BBC there were "stories of things that shouldn't have been happening" - including claims people turned up at polling stations with multiple postal votes. |
| "We will file a formal complaint about the abuses that our people saw yesterday," he told Today. | "We will file a formal complaint about the abuses that our people saw yesterday," he told Today. |
| "Some of the things we've seen before in Birmingham and Tower Hamlets were happening in Oldham yesterday." | "Some of the things we've seen before in Birmingham and Tower Hamlets were happening in Oldham yesterday." |
| He said they had seen some boxes were 99% of the votes were for Labour and this "does not seem to be consistent with modern liberal democracy." | He said they had seen some boxes were 99% of the votes were for Labour and this "does not seem to be consistent with modern liberal democracy." |
| He suggested part of the problem was due to "big ethnic changes" in the way people were voting, with "some streets where no one spoke English", but people were voting Labour. | He suggested part of the problem was due to "big ethnic changes" in the way people were voting, with "some streets where no one spoke English", but people were voting Labour. |
| "They can't speak English. They've never heard of UKIP or the Conservative Party. They've never even heard of Jeremy Corbyn," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "They can't speak English. They've never heard of UKIP or the Conservative Party. They've never even heard of Jeremy Corbyn," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| "It means effectively - in some of these seats where people don't speak English, but they're signed up to postal votes - effectively the electoral process is now dead." | "It means effectively - in some of these seats where people don't speak English, but they're signed up to postal votes - effectively the electoral process is now dead." |
| 'Staggering result' | 'Staggering result' |
| He said he had been involved in 30 by-elections and "never been so shocked" by a result, although added that he accepted that even without the postal vote, Labour had won a majority. | He said he had been involved in 30 by-elections and "never been so shocked" by a result, although added that he accepted that even without the postal vote, Labour had won a majority. |
| UKIP, which has been targeting Labour's vote in its northern strongholds, had hoped to make the by-election a close-fought contest. | UKIP, which has been targeting Labour's vote in its northern strongholds, had hoped to make the by-election a close-fought contest. |
| But the outcome was clear early in the evening and Labour activists cheered their candidate when he arrived at Oldham's Queen Elizabeth Hall for the count. | But the outcome was clear early in the evening and Labour activists cheered their candidate when he arrived at Oldham's Queen Elizabeth Hall for the count. |
| Mr McMahon, 35, is the leader of Oldham Council and Labour's most senior representative in the Local Government Association. He is regarded as being a centrist within the Labour Party. | Mr McMahon, 35, is the leader of Oldham Council and Labour's most senior representative in the Local Government Association. He is regarded as being a centrist within the Labour Party. |
| He said it was a "staggering" result for his party. | He said it was a "staggering" result for his party. |
| He added: "My sole focus has always been on what is best for Oldham. | He added: "My sole focus has always been on what is best for Oldham. |
| "I want to make our town a better place for my sons to grow up in and make it somewhere they can be proud of." | "I want to make our town a better place for my sons to grow up in and make it somewhere they can be proud of." |
| The Conservatives came third, with their vote share down by almost 10%. | The Conservatives came third, with their vote share down by almost 10%. |
| The full result | The full result |