Batley and Spen by election

I don't live in the constituency but I didn't take to Tracy Brabin because she was a familiar face on telly a few decades ago, so think of her as an actor.
I also disapproved of that dress.

I think my main reason was she got to the Shadow Cabinet when she hadn't been an MP for long, and I thought she was making a big deal out of having been pals with Jo Cox.

Sorry if that seems a bit shallow.

I appreciate that Kim Leadbeater will have had votes because of who her sister was, and that her standing as a candidate might have been driven by the tragic circumstances, but I hope that she will be a good constituenc MP. It can't be easy for her.

Why was Tracy Brabin unpopular in the constituency? I assume Jo Cox was well-liked.

People don't feel represented, they are disillusioned with Labour and feel our votes are taken for granted. Not happy to see the mud-slinging that we are apparently all anti-Semitic here...for goodness sake, what a sweeping generalisation.

It doesn't help that Labour pretend everything is just fine and dandy here, and that division doesn't exist. Tracy Brabin was very unpopular, and I'm disappointed she was voted mayor of West Yorkshire.

George Galloway took a lot of the votes…

over 20% - allegedly with the support of certain Labour elements looking for a reason to oust Starmer. “By their friends shall ye know them”

George Galloway took a lot of the votes.

Question should be why they only won by 300 votes - that’s not a fantastic victory, it’s a knife edge.

No major political party would condemn the fact that a local teacher was still in hiding fearing for his life for teaching the curriculum.

Really? That's terrible.

And they trust the lot that's in now?

Because a large number of the electorate believe Keir Starmer has been too decisive in dealing with the problem of anti-semitism that was hanging over the Labour Party.

I'm pleased about it. I've met Kim a few times and she's great. Salt of the earth.

The community is divided, and pretending it isn't is not going to help anyone. There is a lot of work to do to rebuild trust with Labour, and I think it is wrong for Labour to pretend the results were a resounding success.

The Labour party needs to rebuild trust within the ranks.

Why did Labour lose trust in Batley & Spen?

It probably was written in the hope of winning at all THP, it wasn't going to be an easy win.

I thought Kim's statement after the results totally missed the mark, and sounded like it was written for a higher majority win. The community is divided, and pretending it isn't is not going to help anyone. There is a lot of work to do to rebuild trust with Labour, and I think it is wrong for Labour to pretend the results were a resounding success.

I live in the constituency, by the way.

Keir Starmer is fine. The problem is that people want a 'personality'.

Kim Leadbeater had quite a challenge and she did it.

Let's never forget Jo Cox.

I can only ever see George Galloway on all fours pretending to be a cat. EURGGHHHH.

Thanks for putting that image back in there.

Congratulations to Kim Leadbeater on her win.

I was amazed how quickly they got this counted with such a fine margin. I thought they did recounts where election results were as lose as this. 300 odd results is such as squeak but I'm glad she held it. It's been such a nasty campaign.

I hadn't realised until just now that Kim Leadbetter is Jo Cox's sister, which to my mind, makes this an important deal. She looks to me, from the short interview I saw, to be a worthy successor to her sister. George Galloway is always out to muddy the waters, I can't find the words to express my lack of respect for him.

So you don't want a leader like Keir Starmer, and I suggested perhaps a leader like the Prime Minister and someone else George Galloway, both of which you also seem to be rejecting.

Would you be so kind as to describe what kind of leader you would like?

Are you crackers?! Clearly she is a Labour supporter who would like a BETTER Labour Leader than this wash out or the last Bolshevik gnome.

There are a few of us.

Stop talking nonsense and offering her Tories and fruitcakes as notional replacements.

Although yesterday, KS vowed to stay in the event of a Bat & Spen loss. So he might have stuck to that anyway.

Would you be so kind as to describe what kind of leader you would like?

rather large jump there @jgw1 @lotsofdogshere
I simply meant that as a leader I don't rate Starmer. ...he will not get labour back in.

What is interesting I think is that two weeks ago the polls showed the Tories ahead. Clearly Boris in hi-vis did not have the impact that was hoped for when he visited on Monday.

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