This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/dec/04/jeremy-corbyn-breather-oldham-byelection-labour-win
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Oldham byelection win gives Jeremy Corbyn much-needed breather | Oldham byelection win gives Jeremy Corbyn much-needed breather |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn has been given unexpected breathing space after Labour’s convincing victory in the Oldham West and Royton byelection. | |
| The noticeable increase in the party’s overall share of the vote and the failure of Ukip to break through in a part of the north-west seen by Nigel Farage as fertile territory gives Corbyn a chance to regroup after a torrid two weeks. | |
| Related: Oldham West’s victory gives Jeremy Corbyn a chance to smile | Simon Jenkins | Related: Oldham West’s victory gives Jeremy Corbyn a chance to smile | Simon Jenkins |
| Labour had expected to hold the seat, where the late Michael Meacher had a majority of 14,738 at the last general election. But Jim McMahon’s success in increasing Labour’s overall share of the vote from 54.8% in May to 62.1% has produced indisputable facts about the party’s strength in its natural heartland. | Labour had expected to hold the seat, where the late Michael Meacher had a majority of 14,738 at the last general election. But Jim McMahon’s success in increasing Labour’s overall share of the vote from 54.8% in May to 62.1% has produced indisputable facts about the party’s strength in its natural heartland. |
| Farage is making a big song and dance about the large number of postal votes. But this is unlikely to have much of an impact on the internal Labour debate. | Farage is making a big song and dance about the large number of postal votes. But this is unlikely to have much of an impact on the internal Labour debate. |
| Labour’s opposing camps played to type after McMahon’s victory. To Corbyn’s team the result showed that he is reaching out to natural Labour voters. To the leader’s critics, Corbyn was the lucky beneficiary of the dream byelection candidate who does not share his vision and who is understood to have supported Liz Kendall in the leadership contest. | Labour’s opposing camps played to type after McMahon’s victory. To Corbyn’s team the result showed that he is reaching out to natural Labour voters. To the leader’s critics, Corbyn was the lucky beneficiary of the dream byelection candidate who does not share his vision and who is understood to have supported Liz Kendall in the leadership contest. |
| Related: Oldham byelection: Corbyn hails 'vote of confidence' after Labour win | Related: Oldham byelection: Corbyn hails 'vote of confidence' after Labour win |
| The Jeremy4PM Twitter account posted a link to the Daily Mirror’s report on the result, which began with the words: “Corbyn defied his critics in spectacular fashion … as Labour won a thumping victory in his first ballot box test.” | The Jeremy4PM Twitter account posted a link to the Daily Mirror’s report on the result, which began with the words: “Corbyn defied his critics in spectacular fashion … as Labour won a thumping victory in his first ballot box test.” |
| But a frontbench critic of Corbyn said: “[It’s] worth remembering that Corbyn’s office signed off leaflets and a campaign plan that deliberately sidelined Corbyn and national politics and accentuated the local candidate. They know that Jim McMahon was electable because he was a great centrist candidate.” | But a frontbench critic of Corbyn said: “[It’s] worth remembering that Corbyn’s office signed off leaflets and a campaign plan that deliberately sidelined Corbyn and national politics and accentuated the local candidate. They know that Jim McMahon was electable because he was a great centrist candidate.” |
| The two sides will no doubt trade insults on who should win the credit for the byelection win. But a debate over who should claim credit for a success is only likely to benefit one side – the leader lucky enough to be in place at the time of victory. | The two sides will no doubt trade insults on who should win the credit for the byelection win. But a debate over who should claim credit for a success is only likely to benefit one side – the leader lucky enough to be in place at the time of victory. |
| Corbyn’s supporters will argue that his critics in the parliamentary Labour party, who said he would never appeal beyond a narrow band of Stop the War Coalition activists and hard-left groups, have been confounded by the result. | |
| The Labour leader’s critics noted George Osborne’s delight in the Labour victory. The chancellor tweeted on Friday morning: “Good to be one of the first to congratulate @jeremycorbyn in person on his Oldham win – we’re on the same train to Manchester this am.” | The Labour leader’s critics noted George Osborne’s delight in the Labour victory. The chancellor tweeted on Friday morning: “Good to be one of the first to congratulate @jeremycorbyn in person on his Oldham win – we’re on the same train to Manchester this am.” |
| Osborne had been joking to friends before the byelection result that he was concerned that the rebellion in the PLP could actually unseat Corbyn. “Please keep Jeremy in place,” he was seen to remark as he held his hands together in mock prayer and looked towards the heavens. | Osborne had been joking to friends before the byelection result that he was concerned that the rebellion in the PLP could actually unseat Corbyn. “Please keep Jeremy in place,” he was seen to remark as he held his hands together in mock prayer and looked towards the heavens. |