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Jeremy Corbyn hails Oldham West and Royton by-election victory Jeremy Corbyn hails Oldham West and Royton by-election victory
(about 1 hour later)
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has hailed a "vote of confidence" in his party after it comfortably held the Oldham West and Royton seat in a by-election. Jeremy Corbyn has said Labour's win in the Oldham West and Royton by-election shows its strength and the appeal of its anti-austerity message.
Its candidate Jim McMahon secured a 10,722-vote majority from UKIP's John Bickley, and a 62% vote share that was higher than at the general election. Visiting the constituency, Labour's leader hailed an "incredible" result.
His candidate Jim McMahon secured a 10,722-vote majority from UKIP's John Bickley, and a 62% vote share that was higher than at the general election.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage is to make a formal complaint about the vote, claiming there was electoral fraud.UKIP leader Nigel Farage is to make a formal complaint about the vote, claiming there was electoral fraud.
People were turning up with "bundles of postal votes", he told the BBC.People were turning up with "bundles of postal votes", he told the BBC.
Live: Oldham by-election reaction
The by-election was triggered by the death of long-serving Labour MP Michael Meacher, who won the seat at May's general election with a 14,738 majority. Mr McMahon said he had "delivered a result that Michael would be proud of".The by-election was triggered by the death of long-serving Labour MP Michael Meacher, who won the seat at May's general election with a 14,738 majority. Mr McMahon said he had "delivered a result that Michael would be proud of".
'People's trust''People's trust'
Labour's total majority was lower this time around but the party ended up with a higher vote share as the turnout - just over 40% - was lower than at May's poll.Labour's total majority was lower this time around but the party ended up with a higher vote share as the turnout - just over 40% - was lower than at May's poll.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is expected in Oldham later to congratulate his new MP. The by-election - the first of this Parliament - was also the first major electoral test for Mr Corbyn, who was overwhelmingly elected by Labour members in September but has since faced criticism from some of his MPs - which culminated in a major rebellion over Syria on Wednesday.
The by-election - the first of this Parliament - was the first major electoral test for Mr Corbyn, who was overwhelmingly elected by Labour members in September but has since faced criticism from some of his MPs - which culminated in a major rebellion over Syria on Wednesday. Appearing at a rally in the constituency to congratulate Mr McMahon, Mr Corbyn said the victory showed how "strong, deep-rooted and broad" the support was for Labour "not just in Oldham but across the country".
Mr Corbyn said: "By-elections can be difficult for the party holding the seat, and turnouts are often low. Labour, he said, was "driving the Tories back" and challenging "their austerity agenda and narrative".
"But to increase our share of the vote since the general election is a vote of confidence in our party.
"It's a clear demonstration that Labour is the party working people trust."
'Sour grapes''Sour grapes'
Labour's Deputy Leader Tom Watson told the BBC that the result was "very, very good" for Mr Corbyn and urged MPs to "swing behind" their leader after what he said was a "difficult week" for the party.Labour's Deputy Leader Tom Watson told the BBC that the result was "very, very good" for Mr Corbyn and urged MPs to "swing behind" their leader after what he said was a "difficult week" for the party.
Mr Watson dismissed UKIP's claims about electoral fraud, saying they sounded like "sour grapes" and if their opponents had an evidence of wrongdoing, they should pass them onto the police.Mr Watson dismissed UKIP's claims about electoral fraud, saying they sounded like "sour grapes" and if their opponents had an evidence of wrongdoing, they should pass them onto the police.
AnalysisAnalysis
By Arif Ansari, BBC North West political editor By Brian Wheeler, political reporter
This was a surprise result for Labour, but an unexpectedly good one. Only a fortnight ago some were predicting a shock defeat for the party. Reports from the campaign trail in Oldham had suggested Labour was haemorrhaging votes among its traditional white working class supporters, horrified by what one commentator called the party's transformation into a "poncified" party of middle class Metropolitan liberals.
A large part of it must be down to the candidate Jim McMahon, the former council leader. This fed directly into Labour fears that their vote in their traditional strongholds is as brittle as it proved to be in Scotland.
He was recognised as the local candidate. But UKIP tried to turn this into a referendum on Jeremy Corbyn, even branding him a "security risk". Clearly it failed and suggests he's not as politically toxic as his opponents wish. And that UKIP, with its tough line on immigration and appeal to patriotic values, was poised to replace it.
UKIP blames the postal vote and the number of Asian voters who use it. But that's the system the party is up against. The London-based away-day pundits have been proved wrong, however.
UKIP's result was far worse than last year's Heywood and Middleton by-election and much more disappointing than it expected. And it leaves them struggling with a strategy to win seats from Labour in the north of England. Read more from Brian
UKIP complains over 'by-election fraud'UKIP complains over 'by-election fraud'
However, Mr Farage raised claims that the postal vote was rigged, telling the BBC there were "stories of things that shouldn't have been happening" - including claims people turned up at polling stations with multiple postal votes.However, Mr Farage raised claims that the postal vote was rigged, telling the BBC there were "stories of things that shouldn't have been happening" - including claims people turned up at polling stations with multiple postal votes.
"We will file a formal complaint about the abuses that our people saw yesterday," he told Today."We will file a formal complaint about the abuses that our people saw yesterday," he told Today.
"Some of the things we've seen before in Birmingham and Tower Hamlets were happening in Oldham yesterday." He said they had seen some boxes were 99% of the votes were for Labour, suggesting some members of the Asian population had voted for Labour even though they did not speak English and "did not know who Jeremy Corbyn is".
He said they had seen some boxes were 99% of the votes were for Labour and this "does not seem to be consistent with modern liberal democracy."
He suggested part of the problem was due to "big ethnic changes" in the way people were voting, with "some streets where no one spoke English", but people were voting Labour.
"They can't speak English. They've never heard of UKIP or the Conservative Party. They've never even heard of Jeremy Corbyn," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"It means effectively - in some of these seats where people don't speak English, but they're signed up to postal votes - effectively the electoral process is now dead.""It means effectively - in some of these seats where people don't speak English, but they're signed up to postal votes - effectively the electoral process is now dead."
'Staggering result''Staggering result'
He said he had been involved in 30 by-elections and "never been so shocked" by a result, although added that he accepted that even without the postal vote, Labour had won a majority.
UKIP, which has been targeting Labour's vote in its northern strongholds, had hoped to make the by-election a close-fought contest.UKIP, which has been targeting Labour's vote in its northern strongholds, had hoped to make the by-election a close-fought contest.
But the outcome was clear early in the evening and Labour activists cheered their candidate when he arrived at Oldham's Queen Elizabeth Hall for the count.But the outcome was clear early in the evening and Labour activists cheered their candidate when he arrived at Oldham's Queen Elizabeth Hall for the count.
Mr McMahon, 35, is the leader of Oldham Council and Labour's most senior representative in the Local Government Association. He is regarded as being a centrist within the Labour Party. Mr McMahon, 35, is the leader of Oldham Council and Labour's most senior representative in the Local Government Association. Mr McMahon, who is regarded as being a centrist within the Labour Party, told reporters it was a "staggering" result for his party.
He said it was a "staggering" result for his party. He added: "I am sick to death of what the Tories are doing to towns like Oldham. The Northern Powerhouse rhetoric is nothing more than a write-off of the north to create a poorhouse."
He added: "My sole focus has always been on what is best for Oldham. The Conservatives came third in the by-election, with their vote share down by almost 10%.
"I want to make our town a better place for my sons to grow up in and make it somewhere they can be proud of."
The Conservatives came third, with their vote share down by almost 10%.
The full resultThe full result