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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/jun/07/labour-beats-brexit-party-in-peterborough-as-may-prepares-to-bow-out-politics-live
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| Labour beats Brexit party in Peterborough as May prepares to bow out – live news | Labour beats Brexit party in Peterborough as May prepares to bow out – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Good Morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Matthew Weaver. | |
| Brandon Lewis, the Conservative party chairman, has just finished another interview, on the Today programme. | |
| Lewis said he though it was “highly unlikely” that, when the Tory leadership contests gets down to the final two candidates, one of those will pull out, as Andrea Leadsom did in 2016. | |
| (Yesterday Fraser Nelson, the Spectator editor, said that two of the candidates had told him that they would pull out if they were up against Boris Johnson in the ballot of Tory members and it was obvious that Johnson would win.) | |
| Q: Would it be undemocratic if the new Tory leader prorogued parliament to facilitate a no-deal Brexit? | |
| Lewis said, if he commented too deeply on that, he would be starting to comment on the policy proposals of candidates. And he needed to stay neutral, he said. | |
| But he said it has been clear to him that people wanted to see parliamentarians deliver on Brexit. | |
| Q: You have allowed entryists into the Tory party on your watch? | |
| Lewis said he preferred to focus on the fact. He said that he was proud that the party membership had got larger. | |
| I would argue that we have not seen entryism. | |
| Lewis claims the Conservative party has not been subject to entryism. | |
| Brandon Lewis, chairman of the Conservative Party, said he was “very disappointed” by the byelection result but claim it was conducted against a “very tough back drop.” | |
| He blamed the government’s failure to implement Brexit. | |
| Speaking to Sky News he said: | |
| “People want to see us a government, and a party, getting on and delivering for them and that does include getting Brexit done. We’ve got to get that done. We have got to deliver for people on the issue they voted on in 2016. | |
| Lewis added: “The reality is we are nine years into a Conservative government, and I think you’ll find that no government in history has ever won a seat from the opposition nine years into government.” | |
| Farage also claimed that none of the Tory leadership contenders had the “courage” to leave the EU on 31 October without a deal. | |
| I cannot see right at the moment anybody standing in this conservative leadership right now who’s actually got the courage to take us out on the 31st of October on WTO terms. | |
| Here’s some reaction to Farage’s response to the result: | |
| On R4 Nigel Farage sounded very bullish about Peterborough by-election loss - he always sounds bullish - but I think you could detect real disappointment. Brexit party failed to counter assumption they would win. They didn't, and now some of the momentum, inevitably, is lost. | |
| Slippery one club golfer Nigel Farage in Peterborough lost his first, possibly best and perhaps only chance of the Brexit Party winning a Westminster by-election unless a Tory MP defects. | |
| Brexit party leader, Nigel Farage, claims he never said his new party could win the Peterborough byelection. | Brexit party leader, Nigel Farage, claims he never said his new party could win the Peterborough byelection. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he said always predicted that Brexit would come second, despite turning up for the count. | Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he said always predicted that Brexit would come second, despite turning up for the count. |
| “British politics has fundamentally changed. It is no longer just two parties contesting,” he said. | |
| He said Tory supporters would soon begin to realise that voting Conservative would bring about a Corbyn-led government. “The only reason the Brexit party wasn’t able to push a couple of hundred votes past Labour was because quite a lot of people still voted Conservative,” he said. | He said Tory supporters would soon begin to realise that voting Conservative would bring about a Corbyn-led government. “The only reason the Brexit party wasn’t able to push a couple of hundred votes past Labour was because quite a lot of people still voted Conservative,” he said. |
| “If we don’t leave [the EU] by 31 October, the Brexit Party will power on,” he said. The future is very unpredictable, he said. | “If we don’t leave [the EU] by 31 October, the Brexit Party will power on,” he said. The future is very unpredictable, he said. |
| “We came from nowhere, produced a massive result,” Farage said. | “We came from nowhere, produced a massive result,” Farage said. |
| Jeremy Hunt says there is “no future” for the Conservative party “until we deliver Brexit – any elections before then will just allow Corbyn to sneak through the middle”. | Jeremy Hunt says there is “no future” for the Conservative party “until we deliver Brexit – any elections before then will just allow Corbyn to sneak through the middle”. |
| Incredibly disappointing that our brilliant candidate for Peterborough @paulbristow79 was not successful. No future for our party until we deliver Brexit - any elections before then will just allow Corbyn to sneak through the middle. But when the UK has Brexited, we will be back! | Incredibly disappointing that our brilliant candidate for Peterborough @paulbristow79 was not successful. No future for our party until we deliver Brexit - any elections before then will just allow Corbyn to sneak through the middle. But when the UK has Brexited, we will be back! |
| And more reaction from other Conservative MPs, who are very disappointed their candidate, Paul Bristow, did not win. The Conservatives saw a swing against them of 25.5% compared with the 2017 election. | And more reaction from other Conservative MPs, who are very disappointed their candidate, Paul Bristow, did not win. The Conservatives saw a swing against them of 25.5% compared with the 2017 election. |
| The Peterborough by-election shows our real opponent is Jeremy Corbyn. We need to deliver Brexit then turn the page with a fresh face & concentrate on all the other things that matter to people | The Peterborough by-election shows our real opponent is Jeremy Corbyn. We need to deliver Brexit then turn the page with a fresh face & concentrate on all the other things that matter to people |
| Conservative MPs must carefully consider the message of the European elections and Peterborough. Brexit must happen by 31 October or the electorate will never forgive us. We need a new leader with the strength, will and determination to achieve it. In my book, that’s Boris. | Conservative MPs must carefully consider the message of the European elections and Peterborough. Brexit must happen by 31 October or the electorate will never forgive us. We need a new leader with the strength, will and determination to achieve it. In my book, that’s Boris. |
| Disappointing result in Peterborough, as Labour holds the seat, but as the BBC say, @paulbristow79 has done better than the pundits expected. He worked very hard indeed and will surely be back! https://t.co/cGiFf6v4rQ | Disappointing result in Peterborough, as Labour holds the seat, but as the BBC say, @paulbristow79 has done better than the pundits expected. He worked very hard indeed and will surely be back! https://t.co/cGiFf6v4rQ |
| Peterborough, full result:LAB: 30.9% (-17.2)BREX: 28.9% (+28.9)CON: 21.4% (-25.5)LDEM: 12.3% (+8.9)GRN: 3.1%UKIP: 1.2%CHR: 0.5%EDEM: 0.5%SDP: 0.4%MRLP: 0.3%IND: 0.3%CG: 0.2%RNW: 0.1%UKEU: 0.1%IND: 0.0% (5 votes) | Peterborough, full result:LAB: 30.9% (-17.2)BREX: 28.9% (+28.9)CON: 21.4% (-25.5)LDEM: 12.3% (+8.9)GRN: 3.1%UKIP: 1.2%CHR: 0.5%EDEM: 0.5%SDP: 0.4%MRLP: 0.3%IND: 0.3%CG: 0.2%RNW: 0.1%UKEU: 0.1%IND: 0.0% (5 votes) |
| Here’s Jeremy Corbyn’s response to Lisa Forbes’ Peterborough win last night. | Here’s Jeremy Corbyn’s response to Lisa Forbes’ Peterborough win last night. |
| I'm delighted to congratulate @LisaForbes_ on winning the #PeterboroughByElection and for running a people powered campaign.Peterborough has again rejected Tory austerity - showing clear support for our programme of ending cuts, and investing in services and communities. | I'm delighted to congratulate @LisaForbes_ on winning the #PeterboroughByElection and for running a people powered campaign.Peterborough has again rejected Tory austerity - showing clear support for our programme of ending cuts, and investing in services and communities. |
| This result shows that despite the divisions and deadlock over Brexit, when it comes to a vote on the issues that directly affect people’s lives, Labour’s case for real change has strong support across the country.I look forward to welcoming Lisa to parliament next week. | This result shows that despite the divisions and deadlock over Brexit, when it comes to a vote on the issues that directly affect people’s lives, Labour’s case for real change has strong support across the country.I look forward to welcoming Lisa to parliament next week. |
| Need something to listen to over your morning tea and toast? John Crace, who coined the name Maybot for the prime minister, chats to Anushka Asthana about the end of May’s leadership. | Need something to listen to over your morning tea and toast? John Crace, who coined the name Maybot for the prime minister, chats to Anushka Asthana about the end of May’s leadership. |
| Farewell Maybot: John Crace on the changing of the Tory guard | Farewell Maybot: John Crace on the changing of the Tory guard |
| A statement from the leftwing Labour grassroots organisation Momentum, which is thrilled with the result and says it proves “face-to-face conversations coupled with a radical, positive message about how we will transform Britain does win hearts and minds”. | A statement from the leftwing Labour grassroots organisation Momentum, which is thrilled with the result and says it proves “face-to-face conversations coupled with a radical, positive message about how we will transform Britain does win hearts and minds”. |
| Momentum estimates it mobilised nearly 1,000 activists to either knock on doors or make calls in the run up to the Peterborough byelection, including more than 300 people canvassing on the Saturday before polling day and 500 knocking on doors on polling day. | Momentum estimates it mobilised nearly 1,000 activists to either knock on doors or make calls in the run up to the Peterborough byelection, including more than 300 people canvassing on the Saturday before polling day and 500 knocking on doors on polling day. |
| Laura Parker, Momentum’s national coordinator, said: | Laura Parker, Momentum’s national coordinator, said: |
| Momentum threw itself into this election with energy and determination, with nearly a thousand of our supporters getting involved, and absolutely paid off. This fantastic victory in difficult circumstances is down to the work of ordinary activists. Over the campaign, thousands of Momentum members knocked on doors and talked to voters in Peterborough, with more than 500 turning out for polling day and activists carpooling from across the country. Face to face conversations coupled with a radical, positive message about how we will transform Britain does win hearts and minds. | Momentum threw itself into this election with energy and determination, with nearly a thousand of our supporters getting involved, and absolutely paid off. This fantastic victory in difficult circumstances is down to the work of ordinary activists. Over the campaign, thousands of Momentum members knocked on doors and talked to voters in Peterborough, with more than 500 turning out for polling day and activists carpooling from across the country. Face to face conversations coupled with a radical, positive message about how we will transform Britain does win hearts and minds. |
| Some pictures from the Peterborough count | Some pictures from the Peterborough count |
| Good morning and welcome to today’s politics liveblog. I’m Kate Lyons and I’ll be kicking things off today before handing over to Andrew Sparrow. | Good morning and welcome to today’s politics liveblog. I’m Kate Lyons and I’ll be kicking things off today before handing over to Andrew Sparrow. |
| Well, it was quite a night in Peterborough, as Lisa Forbes, the Labour candidate in the byelection, won a very narrow victory over the Brexit party’s Mike Greene. | Well, it was quite a night in Peterborough, as Lisa Forbes, the Labour candidate in the byelection, won a very narrow victory over the Brexit party’s Mike Greene. |
| Forbes won 10,484 votes to Greene’s 9,801 votes, a margin of just 683. The Conservatives were beaten into third place with 7,243 votes. Turnout was 48%. | Forbes won 10,484 votes to Greene’s 9,801 votes, a margin of just 683. The Conservatives were beaten into third place with 7,243 votes. Turnout was 48%. |
| The victory will be a boost to Labour and Jeremy Corbyn, as the party defeated predictions that the contest would deliver a first byelection victory to Nigel Farage’s Brexit party. | The victory will be a boost to Labour and Jeremy Corbyn, as the party defeated predictions that the contest would deliver a first byelection victory to Nigel Farage’s Brexit party. |
| Addressing her supporters early on Friday following the count, Forbes said: “Tonight’s result is significant because it shows that the politics of division will never win.” | Addressing her supporters early on Friday following the count, Forbes said: “Tonight’s result is significant because it shows that the politics of division will never win.” |
| The other big news of the day is, of course, that it is May’s last as leader of the Conservative party, though she will remain prime minister until her successor as party leader is chosen. We’ll be following that news and all the rest throughout the day. | The other big news of the day is, of course, that it is May’s last as leader of the Conservative party, though she will remain prime minister until her successor as party leader is chosen. We’ll be following that news and all the rest throughout the day. |
| Questions, comments, witticisms? Please feel free to get in touch in the comments, via email (kate.lyons@theguardian.com) or on Twitter. | Questions, comments, witticisms? Please feel free to get in touch in the comments, via email (kate.lyons@theguardian.com) or on Twitter. |
| OK, let’s get stuck in! | OK, let’s get stuck in! |