By election live: Labour takes momentous wins in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire - full results

Sarah Edwards, Labour’s candidate who has won the seat at Tamworth’s by-election, said the win is a “historic victory”. She said that the party “didn’t know” what they were “going to expect” at the count on Thursday night (19 October) and the result is “testament to the work that has gone on”.

She told NationalWorld that Labour’s win in Tamworth “sends a really strong message to the country” and shows how “people want change and are fed up of 13 years of the Conservatives.” The Tories had previously held the seat in Tamworth since 2010.

Labour’s victories at Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth mean that swings of over 20 percentage points have taken place at eight by-elections in the past three years – a pattern that is unprecedented in recent political history.

Five of the eight swings have occurred in the past four months: Selby & Ainsty (23.7 points from Conservatives to Labour) and Somerton & Frome (29.0 points from Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats) in July; Rutherglen & Hamilton West (20.4 points from the SNP to Labour) earlier this month, and now Mid Bedfordshire (20.5 points) and Tamworth (23.9 points), both from Conservatives to Labour.

The others were Tiverton & Honiton (29.9 points) in June 2022, North Shropshire (34.1 points) in December 2021, and Chesham & Amersham (25.2 points) in June 2021, all from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats.

Strathern said his victory in the Mid Bedfordshire by-election had “made history” and sent a “resounding message”.

Giving his victory speech, the newest Labour MP said: “Tonight residents across Mid Bedfordshire have made history, after decades of being taken for granted, feeling left behind, being under-represented, they made a decision it was time for a change.

“Nowhere is off limits for this Labour Party and tonight’s result proves it.”

Labour's Alistair Strathern has won Mid Bedfordshire overturning Nadine Dorries' huge majority from 2019.

The Tamworth by-election is largest majority in terms of number of voters Labour has overturned, the News Agents' Lewis Goodall reports. It is the second biggest swing, the biggest swing ever could be coming later in the night in Mid Bedfordshire.

Lab gain from Conservative

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said: “This is a phenomenal result that shows Labour is back in the service of working people and redrawing the political map.

“To those who have given us their trust, and those considering doing so, Labour will spend every day acting in your interests and focused on your priorities. Labour will give Britain its future back.”

Labour has won in Tamworth. Sarah Edwards has overturned the Tories' 19,634 majority in a seismic result.

The actual count in Mid Bedfordshire is in a very small room, so very few people are allowed in at a time - which makes judging the state of play difficult. So journalists are really relying on candidates for their information.

And like the Lib Dems, Flitwick independent candidate Gareth Mackey thinks Labour have just pipped the Tories. He told NationalWorld: "I think Labour have done it, if not it's very close between them and the Conservatives."

Labour figures however are still keeping their cards close to their chest.