Yorkshire by-elections paved way for Labour to reach Number 10

There was a classic by-election moment when local Tory activists were waiting outside Selby station for one of their big names to arrive and began cheering.

Instead, out strolled Labour leadership duo Sir Keir and deputy Ms Rayner.

Both sides laughed it off.

Labour’s candidate had a story – it was his age.

Keir Mather, named after Labour Party founder Keir Hardie, was just 25.

He’d enjoyed a brief career after leaving Oxford with a first-class degree in history and politics.

Polling day in Selby town centre was a sea of red and yellow, with former Conservative MP for Scarborough and Whitby Sir Robert Goodwill seen wading his way through it outside Selby Abbey.

As 20 July turned into 21 July it became increasingly clear that Labour was gobbling up the Tory majority which, to many, had seemed unsurmountable.

Labour polled 16,456 to the Conservatives’ 12,295 – a swing of more than 23%.

In the street the BBC interviewed Mr Mather’s mother who said she had seen him on TV.

When asked whether he could be a future prime minister, she replied: “Never, say never.”

There were several reasons for Labour’s win in Selby and Ainsty, including the prevailing political winds and Conservative voters staying at home in significant numbers.

But a base for that victory was undoubtedly built on Labour’s speed and strength in that all-important ground war.

Dr Sanders says by this time Labour had made real strides internally as well as “winning over the public”.

Describing the result as “historic”, she adds: “To go from just scraping by-election results in 2021 to having by-election results that produce the second largest swing for the party is really quite, quite remarkable.”