Chester by-election 2022: Winner Sam Dixon praised by Labour leader

Labour were widely expected to hold on to the seat in the December 1 by-election, despite previous Labour MP Chris Matheson's resignation over an independent panel's findings of serious sexual misconduct.

The City of Chester by-election count. (Image: Newsquest)

But despite a reduced turnout of 41.2% - lower turnouts being typical of by-elections - Sam Dixon recorded the highest ever vote majority for Labour, beating the party's previous highest, a 9,176 majority in 2017.

Asked by The Standard how Ms Dixon, a former leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, will use that council experience to best present Chester's case in Parliament, the new MP replied: "It gives me an insight into the way that the Conservative Government has, over the past 12 years, decimated public services.

"As well as serving as a local authority councillor, I have also, in the past, served as a non-executive director on a hospital trust board, and the difference between on that trust board under a Labour Government and seeing the NHS now is so striking and so worrying.

Labour's Sam Dixon is congratulated at the count by Acting Returning Officer Andrew Lewis. (Image: PA)

"I think, that experience shows me that we need to take the fight to Parliament. I think we need to be strong, step forward, and be proud of what we have achieved here [at the by-election] today."

Many Labour MPs, including Yvette Cooper, Rachel Reeves and former Labour leader Ed Miliband had joined Sam Dixon on the campaign trail in Chester in the run-up to polling day.

By contrast, Conservative candidate Liz Wardlaw received little backing from MPs, with campaigning and canvassing largely left to councillors and activists.

The end result, in what national political commentators had labelled the first electoral test for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, was Labour's Sam Dixon winning 17,309 votes (61.22% vote share), with the Conservatives' Liz Wardlaw in second with 6,335 votes (22.40%).

Senior Tory MP Charles Walker, who has said he will step down at the next election, said the vote was a “sort of live fire exercise” for the Tories’ performance in the polls.

“We certainly weren’t going to win it,” he told Times Radio.

“And I think the scale of the loss reflects where we stand in the opinion polls at the moment. So, in a sense, this by-election was a sort of live fire exercise for where the opinion polls currently have us.”

Sir Charles said the Tory party is in a “better place” than it was six weeks ago when Liz Truss was leading the country.

But he said he thinks it is “almost impossible” for the Conservatives to come back to win the next general election.

The remaining candidates were: Rob Herd (Liberal Democrat) 2,368 (8.37%), Paul Bowers (Green) 787 (2.78%), Jeanie Barton (Reform UK) 773 (2.73%), Richard Hewison (Rejoin EU) 277 (0.98%), Cain Griffiths (UK Independence Party) 179 (0.63%), Howling Laud Hope (Official Monster Raving Loony Party) 156 (0.55%), Chris Quartermaine (Freedom Alliance) 91 (0.32%).

Sir Keir sent “huge congratulations” to winner Samantha Dixon, who he said will be an “excellent” MP.

Speaking in Glasgow, the Labour leader called it a “very, very good result” for his party.

“The Labour Party has been putting forward a positive plan for the future, how we stabilise and grow our economy,” he said.

“So we were putting a positive choice to the electorate in Chester.

“The Government is worn out, tired, has crashed the economy. And the verdict was very, very clearly given.”

Elected City of Chester MP Sam Dixon and Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner. (Image: PA)

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said the Conservatives’ branding has taken a “pelting” as the people of Chester delivered a “huge message” to the Government on their desire for change.

She said Mr Sunak has overseen the Tories’ worst defeat in the City of Chester constituency since 1832, claiming it is “very clear” he does not have a “mandate to govern”.

Asked during a visit to Chester when the Labour leader will go to the city to say thank you to his activists, Ms Rayner said Sir Keir is currently in Scotland, but he “will be here”.

“And we’ll have a fantastic time when we get Sam in Parliament next week,” she added.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner with elected City of Chester MP Sam Dixon, walking by the River Dee in Chester. (Image: PA)

In her victory speech, Ms Dixon said: “People in Chester and across our country are really worried.

“Worried about losing their homes because they can’t afford the mortgage repayments or the rent, worried about whether they can put the heating on, worried about whether they can put food on the table for their families.

“This is the cost of 12 years of Conservative Government – the Government, which has wreaked havoc with our economy, destroyed our public services and betrayed the people who put their trust in them at the last general election.”