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| Labour MPs blame lack of clarity on Brexit for byelection result | Labour MPs blame lack of clarity on Brexit for byelection result |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour MPs have blamed a “bunker mentality” and lack of clarity on Brexit from Jeremy Corbyn for the disappointing byelection result in Sleaford and North Hykeham, in which the party slipped from second place to fourth. | |
| Caroline Johnson, a paediatrician, held the seat for the Conservatives with a majority of 17,570 votes, ahead of Victoria Ayling of Ukip, whose share of the vote fell 2% from 2015. | |
| Labour’s vote dropped by 7% and the Liberal Democrats went up by 5.3% to take third place. | Labour’s vote dropped by 7% and the Liberal Democrats went up by 5.3% to take third place. |
| The byelection, where the majority of the constituency voted to leave the EU, was triggered by the resignation of Stephen Phillips because of “irreconcilable policy differences” with Theresa May. | The byelection, where the majority of the constituency voted to leave the EU, was triggered by the resignation of Stephen Phillips because of “irreconcilable policy differences” with Theresa May. |
| The Labour MP David Winnick said the result was “appalling” and blamed Corbyn’s leadership, despite the turnout of just 37%. | The Labour MP David Winnick said the result was “appalling” and blamed Corbyn’s leadership, despite the turnout of just 37%. |
| “If we were to continue in this way then the indications are 2020 will be an electoral disaster and the possibility of a Labour government very remote indeed,” he said. | “If we were to continue in this way then the indications are 2020 will be an electoral disaster and the possibility of a Labour government very remote indeed,” he said. |
| “The sort of bunker mentality that seems to exist at the moment at the highest levels of the party needs to recognise what is happening in the outside world.” | “The sort of bunker mentality that seems to exist at the moment at the highest levels of the party needs to recognise what is happening in the outside world.” |
| The Labour MP Jess Phillips said the party had struggled to articulate its stance on Brexit. “When people are putting a cross in a box, clarity is everything,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. | The Labour MP Jess Phillips said the party had struggled to articulate its stance on Brexit. “When people are putting a cross in a box, clarity is everything,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. |
| “Labour needs to have a very clear position and for everybody to be saying the same thing, and at the moment that is not the case.” | “Labour needs to have a very clear position and for everybody to be saying the same thing, and at the moment that is not the case.” |
| The former chancellor George Osborne expressed concern about the result on Twitter. | The former chancellor George Osborne expressed concern about the result on Twitter. |
| The disintegration of the Labour Party is not good for democracy. Oppositions are meant to try to win by-elections, not slip from 2nd to 4th | The disintegration of the Labour Party is not good for democracy. Oppositions are meant to try to win by-elections, not slip from 2nd to 4th |
| Vernon Coaker, the former shadow cabinet minister and MP for Gedling, who helped run Labour’s campaign in Sleaford and North Hykeham, said the party’s message on the EU was not getting through to voters yet. | Vernon Coaker, the former shadow cabinet minister and MP for Gedling, who helped run Labour’s campaign in Sleaford and North Hykeham, said the party’s message on the EU was not getting through to voters yet. |
| “Jim Clarke and his team ran a strong campaign that they should be proud of,” he said. “The reality is that the Labour vote was squeezed by Brexit. In some ways, this felt like a bit of a referendum re-run. | “Jim Clarke and his team ran a strong campaign that they should be proud of,” he said. “The reality is that the Labour vote was squeezed by Brexit. In some ways, this felt like a bit of a referendum re-run. |
| “Labour’s focus on securing the best plan for Britain outside the EU, while still addressing people’s concerns about the future, is not yet cutting through. This will take more time and effort from us all at all levels of the party.” | “Labour’s focus on securing the best plan for Britain outside the EU, while still addressing people’s concerns about the future, is not yet cutting through. This will take more time and effort from us all at all levels of the party.” |
| The Lib Dem leader, Tim Farron, whose party overturned a Conservative majority of 23,000 to win the Richmond Park byelection last week, said it was a strong result for the party. | The Lib Dem leader, Tim Farron, whose party overturned a Conservative majority of 23,000 to win the Richmond Park byelection last week, said it was a strong result for the party. |
| “With Labour yet again nowhere and after losing their deposit in Richmond, the Liberal Democrats are the real opposition to the Conservative Brexit government,” he said. | “With Labour yet again nowhere and after losing their deposit in Richmond, the Liberal Democrats are the real opposition to the Conservative Brexit government,” he said. |
| “Even though this area voted leave, the chaos of the government’s Brexit negotiations has convinced many people that Theresa May’s hard Brexit strategy isn’t working. The Ukip vote has dropped by 5,000, as voters see that there is no need to have a Ukip MP when sadly, we effectively have a Ukip PM.” | “Even though this area voted leave, the chaos of the government’s Brexit negotiations has convinced many people that Theresa May’s hard Brexit strategy isn’t working. The Ukip vote has dropped by 5,000, as voters see that there is no need to have a Ukip MP when sadly, we effectively have a Ukip PM.” |