THE new City of Chester MP was welcomed by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer following the by-election victory last week.

Sam Dixon MBE took Labour's largest ever majority for the constituency, taking 61.22% of the vote share with 17,309 votes, beating the Conservatives' Liz Wardlaw, who won 22.4% of the vote share with 6,335 votes.

Sir Keir Starmer and members of the Parliamentary Labour Party welcome Samantha Dixon (left) to Parliament in London as the newly elected Labour MP for the City of Chester.

Sir Keir Starmer and members of the Parliamentary Labour Party welcome Samantha Dixon (left) to Parliament in London as the newly elected Labour MP for the City of Chester.

The 10,974-vote majority was higher than Labour's previous highest majority of 9,176 in the 2017 General Election, by previous Labour MP Chris Matheson.

Mr Matheson resigned in October after an independent panel's findings of serious sexual misconduct. Although Mr Matheson disputed the findings, he said he would step down, shortly after the Labour Party withdrew the whip from him.

In his opening at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, December 7, Sir Keir Starmer said: "Can I start by welcoming the new Member of Parliament for the City of Chester, to her place in this House.

"It's the best result for Labour in the 105 years we have been fighting that seat, and I look forward to working with her to build a better future for the people of Chester."

Newly elected Labour MP for the City of Chester Samantha Dixon (centre) during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons.

Newly elected Labour MP for the City of Chester Samantha Dixon (centre) during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.

On the same day, the Labour MPs gathered for a photo opportunity to welcome Sam Dixon to their Party.

Asked by The Standard on by-election night 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.

"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.