Conservative majority slashed in David Cameron’s former seat of Witney as ex-Corrie star Tracy Brabin holds Batley and Spen seat for Labour

By:

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Tories have held David Cameron's former seat of Witney, although their majority was slashed, while a former Coronation Street actress, Tracy Brabin has held the Batley and Spen seat for Labour.

Brabin was running in a by-election triggered by the murder of MP Jo Cox in June. She featured in Coronation Street for eight years as Tricia Armstrong, and has also starred in Eastenders and Holby City.

She received an 85 per cent share of the vote, in an election with very low turnout – the seat was not contested by other major parties as a mark of respect for Cox.

Brabin described her victory as "bittersweet". "This has been a difficult experience for all of us… that this by-election has had to take place at all is a tragedy," she said.

On Twitter, Brabin said the result was an example of "one community for unity and hope, not division and hatred".

 

Robert Courts won in Witney by 5,702 votes, with the party's vote share falling from 60 per cent in 2015 to 45 per cent, as the Lib Dems took second place ahead of Labour.

Courts, a barrister, said he looked forward to being a "strong local voice in parliament" for the people in his constituency.

 

Cameron had represented the Oxfordshire seat of Witney since 2001, until September, when he resigned as an MP. Cameron announced his plans to stand down as Prime Minister the morning after the EU referendum in June.