Britain’s Labour wins parliamentary seat in northern England

Bickley also increased Ukip’s share of the vote in the seat to 23.4%, but the contest was predicted to be a much closer run thing. Bickley came in second place, followed by the Conservatives in third.

“I am delighted that Labour has not only won the Oldham West and Royston by-election – but increased our share of the vote since the general election in May”, he said on Twitter.

But Farage raised questions over the relatively high number of postal votes, and blamed the party’s loss on many in the constituency not speaking English.

Predictions of a possible low turnout and concerns over public perceptions of Jeremy Corbyn had fuelled Labour fears of a bloodbath.

But in the event Labour increased their share to 62pc, a result Ukip blamed on postal votes.

Mr Meacher had a majority of 14,738 in May, but UKIP points to the party’s strong performance in last year’s Heywood and Middleton by-election as evidence that it can shock Labour in its Northern heartlands.

But he vowed that Ukip would win a by-election in the North or Midlands from Labour within the next 18 months.

UKIP made Corbyn a target of its campaign, questioning his patriotism and accusing him of being soft on terrorism.

“If the reports are coming in that they think they are doing better than expected then obviously as a Labour Party we are going to have to think about that and decide how to respond to Ukip”.

Jeremy Corbyn needed a boost after the week he has had and the Oldham West and Royton by-election has delivered it.

“Our determination to oppose Tory austerity policies, and our successes in pushing them back on tax credit and police cuts show that Labour is getting results for working people”.

In a parliamentary vote on Wednesday on whether Britain should join US-led air strikes in Syria, some 67 of Labour’s 231 lawmakers voted in favour of bombing.

Mr Farage’s decision to cry foul after the result was announced – claiming the ballot was rigged – is a courageous one. “I’m not saying this would have changed the result, but I am saying that we got a perverse result”.

Green candidate Simeon Hart polled 249 and Monster Raving Loony Sir Oink-A-Lot trailed on 141.