'This is a sweet victory for the Labour Party', says Lewis Goodall as Keir Starmer celebrates Selby success

21 July 2023, 13:53

Lewis Goodall on Labour's 'sweet' Selby victory

By Madeleine Wilson

Selby is the kind of seat that Labour could have 'only dreamt of winning' says Lewis Goodall after yesterday's by-elections, recalling how the party has been 'underperforming' in rural, affluent areas.

Lewis Goodall spoke to listeners after Sir Keir Starmer hailed a "historic" result in the Tory stronghold of Selby and Ainsty after Labour overturned its biggest-ever majority of 20,137 at a by-election.

Lewis said: "This is the kind of seat by the way, that Labour could have only dreamt of winning just a couple of years ago, North of England sure, but rural pretty affluent, older voters, fewer graduates.

"All of the trends, lots of owner occupiers, all of the sorts of people with whom the Labour Party has been underperforming and then some, in previous years, never been held before by the Labour Party before the seat's creation in 2010."

READ MORE: Starmer celebrates ‘historic’ Selby victory in ‘biggest majority turned over in history of the Labour Party’

Starmer hails 'historic' Selby win as Labour overhauls biggest by-election majority in its history

He also became the youngest MP in Parliament at 25 years old on a night of three by-elections.

"This is a historic result that shows that people are looking at Labour and seeing a changed party that is focused entirely on the priorities of working people with an ambitious, practical plan to deliver," Sir Keir said.

Lewis continued: "Make no mistake - this is a sweet victory for the Labour Party."

READ MORE: As it happened: Labour wins Selby and Ainsty as all three crucial by-election results revealed