Jump to content

2021 Batley and Spen by-election

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2021 Batley and Spen by-election
← 2019 1 July 2021 2024 ⊟
Batley and Spen constituency
Turnout47.5% (Decrease19.1 pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Con
Candidate Kim Leadbeater Ryan Stephenson George Galloway
Party Labour Conservative Workers Party
Last election 42.7% 36.0% Did not stand
Popular vote 13,296 12,973 8,264
Percentage 35.3% 34.4% 21.9%
Swing Decrease7.4 pp Decrease1.6 pp New Candidate
MP before election

Tracy Brabin
Labour

Elected MP

Kim Leadbeater
Labour

A by-election was held in the UK parliamentary constituency of Batley and Spen on 1 July 2021, following the resignation of the previous Member of Parliament (MP) Tracy Brabin, who was elected Mayor of West Yorkshire on 10 May.[1][2] Under the devolution agreement, the position holds the powers and responsibilities of a police and crime commissioner, meaning the occupant of the office cannot simultaneously sit as an MP.[3][4] The by-election was the fourth of the 58th Parliament, elected in 2019.[5]

Kim Leadbeater held the seat for the Labour Party with a reduced majority of 323 votes.

Background

[edit]

Constituency

[edit]

Batley and Spen is a predominantly working-class constituency in the Pennines at the centre of West Yorkshire. Considered to be part of the "red wall", Batley and Spen has been held by Labour since the 1997 general election.[6] The seat's largest town, Batley, has a sizeable number of residents with South Asian backgrounds: Pakistani (9.2%) and Indian (15.9%) (mostly Gujarati), according to the 2001 census.[7] Heckmondwike also has a well-established South Asian community, with 16.9% residents having Pakistani heritage. Other towns in the Spen Valley part of the constituency include Birstall, Birkenshaw, Cleckheaton, Liversedge and Gomersal. These are generally more suburban and Conservative areas, with the exception of Cleckheaton, which has Liberal Democrat councillors.

In the 2016 EU referendum, Batley and Spen voted 60% in favour of Brexit.[8]

Representation

[edit]

Batley and Spen has been represented by a Labour MP since 1997.[9][10] Elizabeth Peacock has been the constituency's only Conservative MP, serving from 1983 to 1997. Brabin had held the seat since the 2016 Batley and Spen by-election, which was called after the murder of Jo Cox, the seat's incumbent MP.

At the 2019 general election, the Labour majority in the constituency decreased significantly, with a 12.8% drop in vote share by comparison with the 2017 result.[11]

On 6 May 2021, Brabin won the inaugural election for the Mayor of West Yorkshire. She was appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds on 10 May, vacating her Commons seat.[12]

Brabin expressed concern the constituency could switch to the Tories in the by-election, given Labour's heavy defeat in the 2021 Hartlepool by-election, where Labour unsuccessfully defended a similar majority.[13][14] However, Stephen Bush from the New Statesman argued that Labour were in a stronger position in Batley and Spen than in Hartlepool.[15]

Timetable

[edit]

On 27 May, the writ of election was made, and the election was scheduled for 1 July.[16][17]

The deadline for nominations was 7 June. The deadline for postal vote applications, and changes to existing postal and proxy votes, was 15 June. The deadline for new proxy vote applications was 16 June.[18]

Candidacy declarations

[edit]

When the result of the West Yorkshire mayoral election was announced on 9 May 2021, Bob Buxton, Yorkshire Party leader and unsuccessful mayoral candidate, announced that his party would contest the by-election.[19]

On 10 May, George Galloway tweeted that the party he leads, the Workers Party of Britain, would contest the election.[20] On 27 May, he announced that he would be the Workers Party candidate.[21]

On 12 May, The Guardian reported that Jo Cox's sister, Kim Leadbeater, and former Labour MP Paula Sherriff were among Labour's potential candidates.[22][23] On 23 May the Labour Party announced that Leadbeater, a personal trainer and Jo Cox Foundation campaigner, would stand as their candidate.[24] Leadbeater had only recently rejoined the Labour Party,[25] with the Batley and Spen CLP waiving the requirement of a year's membership prior to her selection.[26]

On 19 May, the Conservative Party announced that it had selected Harewood councillor Ryan Stephenson as its candidate for the by-election.[27] In June 2021, Reform UK announced that they would not stand a candidate in the by-election in a bid to boost the Conservative Party's chances of taking the Labour-held seat.[28] Paul Halloran, a locally well-known Brexit supporter who won over 6,000 votes for the Heavy Woollen District Independents at the previous election, also chose not to stand again, a decision which was expected to favour the Conservative candidate.[26]

On 26 May, the Yorkshire Party announced that its members had voted for Corey Robinson, a senior medical research engineer who spent his childhood in the constituency, to be their candidate.[29]

On 28 May, the Liberal Democrats announced they would stand community campaigner Jo Conchie as their candidate.[30] On 3 June, Conchie withdrew for health reasons, and was replaced by Tom Gordon, a councillor in Knottingley. Gordon stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford at the 2019 general election[31] and would go on to become the Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.

The Greens selected rugby player Ross Peltier on 2 June.[32] He was withdrawn as a candidate following the discovery of offensive tweets sent when he was 19 years old.[33] The Greens then confirmed they would not stand in the by-election.[34]

Jayda Fransen, former deputy leader of the far-right group Britain First, announced her intention to stand. "Britain first" were the words used by the murderer of Cox, although the organisation denied any connection to themselves.[35] Fransen had previously stood as a candidate for the seat of Rochester and Strood in Kent, the London Assembly in 2016, and the Scottish Parliament in 2021.

The Christian Peoples Alliance (CPA) confirmed the nomination of Paul Bickerdike on 3 June.[36] The Social Democratic Party confirmed the nomination of Ollie Purser to stand on 3 June.[37]

Nominations closed on 7 June with 16 candidates.[38]

Campaign

[edit]
Batley Police Station, the closure of which in July 2018[39] was a campaign issue

Labour leader Keir Starmer visited the constituency during the campaign on 10 June,[40] and Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the Fox's Biscuits factory in the constituency on 18 June.[41] Both had made earlier visits as well.[42][43] On 28 June, Johnson visited the constituency again in a Birstall factory visit.[44]

Labour candidate Kim Leadbeater focused on local issues such as crime, green spaces and the poor condition of the roads.[45] She said "I am the only person out of the 16 candidates that lives in Batley and Spen" and "I have a proven track record of getting things done at a local level and an established reputation for working for all parts of the community." She emphasised that the by-election was not a referendum on Labour party leader Keir Starmer.[46][47] Her large leaflet used in parts of the constituency did not use the word "Labour" except in the legal imprint, highlighting her name instead.[45]

Conservative candidate Ryan Stephenson emphasised his local practical political experience – as a Leeds councillor and director of a West Yorkshire multi-academy trust[48] – to work with the Conservative government effectively, and would be "banging the drum for investment" in the constituency. He mostly targeted the voters in the Spen Valley rural towns, away from Batley, who until 1997 held a majority in the constituency for the Conservatives.[49][50]

More than 20 per cent of the electorate are of south Asian origin, and were a major focus of electioneering by Workers Party candidate George Galloway, who concentrated on the issues of the Palestinian territories, the Kashmir conflict, criticism of Labour leader Keir Starmer, the suspension of a teacher for showing a cartoon of Muhammad at Batley Grammar School and the reopening of a police station in Batley. Historically this community were strong supporters of the Labour Party, but there has been discontent at the waiving of Labour party rules to allow Leadbeater to be the only local candidate in the selection process, excluding local councillors from the community.[26][51][52][53]

On 23 June, four of the candidates participated in an online hustings organised by YorkshireLive: George Galloway, Kim Leadbeater, Corey Robinson (Yorkshire Party candidate), and Ryan Stephenson.[54][53] On the same day the Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, issued a statement distancing the United Benefice of Batley from the candidacy of Jayda Fransen, after campaign literature was distributed showing Fransen holding a white cross outside of St Thomas’s church.[55]

On 26 June, Kim Leadbeater was heckled and chased by a group of men while campaigning, after being questioned about her support for LGBT rights and her party's position on Kashmir.[56] The man who challenged her claimed to be speaking on behalf of Muslim parents in the region and had led protests against LGBT-inclusive teaching at schools in Birmingham.[57] During an interview following the incident, Leadbeater accused Galloway of laughing at the situation from across the street. Galloway called the accusation "a lie" and condemned the abuse Leadbeater faced.[58] On 27 June, former MP Tracy Brabin and a group of Labour campaigners were attacked by three men.[59]

On 28 June, the Labour Party was criticised for distributing a leaflet featuring a photo of Boris Johnson with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. Critics complained the leaflets were designed to appeal to Muslim voters and to exploit divisions between voters originating from India and Pakistan over the Kashmir conflict. Labour Friends of India asked the party to withdraw the leaflet immediately. A Labour spokesman said the leaflet emphasised not voting for the Labour candidate "would lead to a Tory MP who would support a Prime Minister who insults Muslim women and calls it a joke, refuses to deal with Islamophobia in his party and fails to speak out on human rights abuses in Kashmir".[60][61] In response, Labour MP Navendu Mishra accused his own party of having a "hierarchy of racism", with "some groups seen as fair game for attacks based on religion/race/heritage".[62]

Opinion polling

[edit]
Pollster Client Date(s)
conducted 		Sample
size 		Lab Con Lib Dem WPB Others Lead
2021 by-election 1 Jul 2021 – 35.3% 34.4% 3.3% 21.9% 3.1% 0.9%
Survation The Daily Mail 9–17 Jun 2021 510 41% 47% 3% 6% 2% 6%
2019 general election 12 Dec 2019 – 42.7% 36.0% 4.7% – 16.7% 6.7%

Result

[edit]
Bar chart of the election result.
Batley and Spen vote share as a percentage 1997–2021 (note: the 2016 by-election is not shown as Labour were the only major party to stand)
By-election 2021: Batley and Spen[63]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kim Leadbeater 13,296 35.3 –7.4
Conservative Ryan Stephenson 12,973 34.4 –1.6
Workers Party George Galloway 8,264 21.9 New
Liberal Democrats Tom Gordon 1,254 3.3 –1.3
Yorkshire Corey Robinson 816 2.1 New
English Democrat Thérèse Hirst 207 0.6 New
UKIP Jack Thomson 151 0.4 New
Monster Raving Loony Howling Laud Hope 107 0.3 New
Alliance for Green Socialism Mike Davies 104 0.3 New
CPA Paul Bickerdike 102 0.3 New
Freedom Alliance Jonathon Tilt 100 0.3 New
For Britain Anne Marie Waters 97 0.3 New
Rejoin EU Andrew Smith 75 0.2 New
SDP Ollie Purser 66 0.2 New
Independent Jayda Fransen 50 0.1 New
Heritage Susan Laird 33 0.1 New
Majority 323 0.9 –5.8
Turnout 37,695 47.5 –19.1
Labour hold Swing –2.90

Previous result

[edit]
General election 2019: Batley and Spen[64][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Tracy Brabin 22,863 42.7 –12.8
Conservative Mark Brooks 19,069 36.0 –2.8
Heavy Woollen District Independents Paul Halloran 6,432 12.2 New
Liberal Democrats John Lawson 2,462 4.7 2.4
Brexit Party Clive Minihan 1,678 3.2 New
Green Ty Akram 692 1.3 ±0.0
Majority 3,525 6.7 –10.0
Turnout 52,927 66.5 –0.6
Labour Co-op hold Swing –5.0

Aftermath

[edit]

The Conservative Party's surprise loss was blamed on their poor campaigning and a scandal that forced the resignation of Health Secretary Matt Hancock the weekend prior to the by-election.[65][66] Analysis in the i newspaper suggested that George Galloway's socially conservative stance may have attracted some Tory-leaning voters, and that the Green Party's decision not to field a candidate may have proved beneficial to the Labour Party.[67][68] Galloway stated he was aiming to win over Labour voters in order to oust Keir Starmer as Labour leader.[69]

Writing in The Guardian, Starmer responded to the result by saying "Labour's back, and the promise of a better future is back too."[70] His Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, claimed that Starmer's leadership was the key factor to Leadbeater's victory, telling Sky News, "Keir will take us into the next election and I believe that result, in the early hours of Friday morning, is the start of more victories for Labour."[71]

Ronan Burtenshaw, editor of Tribune magazine, denied there was any cause for major celebration and insisted that "the result is clearly a shot in the arm for the party's beleaguered leadership."[72] He went on to say, "Keir Starmer won his position as leader on a promise to be electable. But the fact remains that winning a general election today requires 40% or more of the vote. This cannot be achieved by chasing a fixed centre ground of the broadly satisfied, something which no longer exists. It requires the building of a coalition on increasingly shifting sands – and that means, at a bare minimum, an enthusiastic base and a compelling vision for broader society. Despite Kim Leadbeater's commendable victory, Batley and Spen shows that this remains a long way off."[72]

In the New Statesman, Paul Mason pointed out that Labour's pro-LGBT and pro-Israel positions might have resulted in a loss of Muslim votes from the Labour Party towards the Workers Party.[73]

The New Arab's Taj Ali said the result made it clear that Labour was losing Muslim voters because of issues like Kashmir and Palestine, as well as a reluctance to investigate Islamophobia in the party.[74] He was also highly critical of a dog whistle claim, by an anonymous Labour source, that Muslims were angry about "what Keir has been doing on antisemitism". "Given these recent actions," Ali continued, "it is no surprise that many Muslims feel alienated by the Labour Party. Many expect a stronger stance from the Labour leadership on these issues – and rightly so."[74]

Some Jewish groups welcomed Galloway's defeat in the polls. The Jewish Labour Movement called the result a "triumph for hope and decency" over Galloway's "toxic politics".[75] The Jewish Chronicle accused Galloway of running "one of the most tawdry by-election campaigns in memory", and said having him as the MP was "the last thing Batley and Spen needed".[76]

Galloway himself vowed to challenge the result on the basis of an alleged "false statement" made about him by Leadbeater and Starmer, which he claimed tipped the result of the by-election.[77]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Is Batley and Spen Labour's next by-election headache?". The Independent. 8 May 2021. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  2. ^ "West Yorkshire Mayoral election results". www.leeds.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  3. ^ Halliday, Josh; Mistlin, Alex (9 May 2021). "Labour's Tracy Brabin elected first mayor of West Yorkshire". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  4. ^ "West Yorkshire devolution deal". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  5. ^ "By-elections since the 2019 General Election". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  6. ^ Steerpike. "Coming soon: the next red wall by-election". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  7. ^ "2001 Census Profile: Former (Pre 1974) Batley Municipal Borough" (PDF). 2 September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 September 2012.
  8. ^ Lavigueur, Nick (12 February 2017). "Which Kirklees constituency voted against Brexit?". YorkshireLive. Archived from the original on 24 July 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  9. ^ Jones, Bryony (7 June 2017). "How tragedy propelled a former actor into politics". CNN. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021. The Batley and Spen seat has been held by Labour since 1997.
  10. ^ Simons, Ned; Waugh, Paul (17 June 2016). "Jo Cox's Batley And Spen Seat Will Not Be Contested By Conservative Party, David Cameron And Jeremy Corbyn Set To Pay Joint Tribute". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021. Cox's seat, Batley and Spen, has been held by Labour since 1997.
  11. ^ a b "Batley & Spen parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 December 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Three Hundreds of Chiltern: Tracy Brabin". Gov.uk. 10 May 2021. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  13. ^ Rogers, Alexandra (9 May 2021). "'It's a concern' – Tracy Brabin's fears that Batley and Spen could turn blue". Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Batley and Spen: Labour's by-election headache". ITV News. 9 May 2021. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  15. ^ Bush, Stephen (10 May 2021). "Who will win the Batley and Spen by-election?". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  16. ^ Hughes, David (27 May 2021). "Batley and Spen by-election set for July 1". Belfast Telegraph. PA Media. Archived from the original on 28 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021. The writ for the by-election was moved in the Commons by Labour on Thursday, with the party saying polling day will take place on July 1.
  17. ^ "Batley and Spen by-election to be held on 1 July". BBC News. 27 May 2021. Archived from the original on 28 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  18. ^ Council, Kirklees (5 March 2016). "Becoming a candidate in B elections". www.kirklees.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Highest ever vote for Yorkshire party". Ilkley Gazette. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  20. ^ Young, Chris (12 May 2021). "Former Bradford West MP George Galloway announces that his party will stand in Batley and Spen by-election". Telegraph & Argus. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  21. ^ Quinn, Ben (27 May 2021). "Ex-Labour MP George Galloway joins Batley and Spen byelection race". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  22. ^ Halliday, Josh (12 May 2021). "Jo Cox's sister considering standing for Labour in Batley and Spen". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  23. ^ "Jo Cox: Murdered MP's sister plans to stand in Batley and Spen". BBC News. 12 May 2021. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  24. ^ Pidd, Helen (23 May 2021). "Jo Cox's sister selected as Labour candidate for Batley and Spen byelection". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  25. ^ Earnshaw, Tony (18 May 2021). "Labour candidate for Batley by-election has only just joined the party". YorkshireLive. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  26. ^ a b c Al-Othman, Hannah (6 June 2021). "Batley and Spen by-election: are Muslim voters the next brick to crumble in Labour's red wall?". Sunday Times. London. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  27. ^ Parsons, Rob (19 May 2021). "Conservatives choose Leeds councillor Ryan Stephenson as candidate for Batley and Spen by-election". Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 28 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  28. ^ "Reform UK has announced it will not stand a candidate in the Batley and Spen by-election". ITV News. 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  29. ^ Rogers, Alexandra (26 May 2021). "Yorkshire Party reveals Batley and Spen by election candidate". Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  30. ^ "Batley and Spen by-election: Liberal Democrats announce candidate". BBC News. 28 May 2021. Archived from the original on 28 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  31. ^ "Wakefield councillor becomes new Lib Dem candidate for Batley and Spen by-election". www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  32. ^ "Batley and Spen by-election: Green Party select rugby player". BBC News. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  33. ^ "Green Party to replace Batley and Spen by-election candidate". greenparty.org.uk. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  34. ^ "Greens drop Batley & Spen by-election candidate over homophobic tweets". BBC News. 7 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  35. ^ "Penge 'Britain First' activist contesting by-election in Jo Cox's constituency". News Shopper. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  36. ^ "'Faith not fear' says Paul as he enters Batley and Spen race". Batley & Birstall News. 3 June 2021. p. 1. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  37. ^ "Who Can I Vote For? Ollie Purser". Who Can I Vote For?. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  38. ^ "Batley and Spen by-election candidates confirmed". BBC News. 7 June 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  39. ^ McKeown, Sam (25 November 2020). "Plans given green light to transform Batley police station into new apartments". Dewsbury Reporter. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  40. ^ "Batley and Spen by-election: Labour leader Keir Starmer visits". BBC News. 10 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  41. ^ "Batley and Spen by-election: PM Boris Johnson pledges to 'level up'". BBC News. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  42. ^ "Boris Johnson meets West Yorkshire faith leaders in Batley to promote uptake of Covid-19 jab". ITV News. 1 February 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  43. ^ Earnshaw, Tony (20 January 2020). "Wannabe Labour leader Keir Starmer got raucous reception in Batley – this is what he said". YorkshireLive. Reach. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  44. ^ Kellett, Abigail (28 June 2021). "12 pictures of Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he visits Birstall". Batley and Birstall News. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  45. ^ a b Rodgers, Sienna (28 June 2021). "Will Kim Leadbeater's campaign allow Labour to hold onto Batley and Spen?". LabourList. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  46. ^ "Batley & Spen: Labour candidate says election is about local area not party leader". ITV News. 10 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  47. ^ Lavery, Mark (24 May 2021). "Kim 'humbled' to win Labour nomination in Batley and Spen". Batley and Birstall News. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  48. ^ "The Board". The GORSE Academies Trust. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  49. ^ Diver, Tony (24 June 2021). "How the Batley and Spen by-election could bring another crushing defeat for Labour". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  50. ^ Rogers, Alexandra (22 June 2021). "Conservative candidate says 'I can get Batley and Spen the investment it needs'". YorkshireLive. Reach. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  51. ^ "Labour could lose a by-election over the issue of Palestine". The Economist. 26 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  52. ^ Drury, Colin (28 June 2021). "Batley and Spen by-election: Labour's Muslim vote collapsing as Palestine – and potholes – cause anger". The Independent. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  53. ^ a b Rogers, Alexandra (24 June 2021). "The Batley and Spen MP hopefuls on the first thing they will do if they win". YorkshireLive. Reach. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  54. ^ Brooke, Sam (23 June 2021). "Batley and Spen by-election candidates agree area is 'left behind' – but clash over who's to blame". YorkshireLive. Reach. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  55. ^ Wilkinson, Paul (28 June 2021). "Church distances itself after its image was used in Batley and Spen far-right leaflet". Church Times. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  56. ^ "Jo Cox's sister, Labour candidate Kim Leadbeater, heckled and chased on campaign trail". The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  57. ^ Diver, Tony (25 June 2021). "Labour candidate in Batley and Spen by-election left 'intimidated' by anti-LGBT protester". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  58. ^ Blackall, Molly (26 June 2021). "Kim Leadbeater, sister of Jo Cox, chased and heckled on Batley and Spen by-election campaign trail". i. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  59. ^ "Batley and Spen by-election: Labour 'egged and kicked'". BBC News. 28 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  60. ^ Diver, Tony (28 June 2021). "Labour accused of stoking racial divisions with Batley and Spen by-election leaflet". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  61. ^ Morris, Nigel (28 June 2021). "Labour accused of 'identity politics' as Batley and Spen by-election campaign blighted by dirty-tricks claims". i News. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  62. ^ Ehsan, Rakib (29 June 2021). "The Labour party has displayed utter contempt for British Indian voters in Batley and Spen". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  63. ^ "Batley and Spen 1 July 2021". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  64. ^ "Statement of persons nominated, notice of poll and situation of polling stations" (PDF). Kirklees Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  65. ^ Balls, Katy (2 July 2021). "The Batley and Spen by-election was a setback for the Tories – but Matt Hancock was not entirely to blame". i. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  66. ^ Quinn, Ben (2 July 2021). "Anger over Hancock affair a factor in byelection defeat, says Tory co-chair". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  67. ^ Morris, Nigel (2 July 2021). "Did the Green Party's decision to sit out the Batley and Spen by-election help Labour to victory?". i. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  68. ^ Morris, Nigel (2 July 2021). "George Galloway's strong result at the Batley and Spen by-election proves he can never be written off". i. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  69. ^ Batten, Dave (28 May 2021). "George Galloway enters Batley and Spen by-election race, vowing to oust Keir Starmer as Labour leader". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  70. ^ Starmer, Keir (2 July 2021). "Labour's byelection victory was a strike against the politics of division". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  71. ^ Merrick, Rob (4 July 2021). "Keir Starmer's 'leadership' won by-election in Batley and Spen, insists Labour ally". The Independent. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  72. ^ a b Burtenshaw, Ronan (2 July 2021). "Batley and Spen Is Not a Victory for Keir Starmer". Tribune. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  73. ^ Mason, Paul (2 July 2021). "Labour's victory in Batley and Spen shows the party is learning how to fight back". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  74. ^ a b Ali, Taj (2 July 2021). "Labour may have won Batley and Spen, but it's losing the Muslim vote". The New Arab. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  75. ^ Hoffman, Noa (2 July 2021). "Galloway defeat in Batley and Spen hailed as 'triumph' over 'toxic politics'". The Jewish Chronicle. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  76. ^ "The last thing Batley and Spen needed was Galloway". The Jewish Chronicle. 24 June 2021. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  77. ^ Stone, Jon (2 July 2021). "Batley and Spen: George Galloway says he will take legal action to challenge by-election defeat". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2021_Batley_and_Spen_by-election&oldid=1250243421"