Labour holds Newport West in by-election as turnout slumps

Labour MP Ruth Lorraine Jones has won the Newport West by-election, triggered by the death of veteran MP Paul Flynn.

Mrs Jones took 9,308 votes, giving her a majority of 1,951 over the Conservatives, with UKIP in third place.

She had been the clear favourite to succeed Mr Flynn, who held the Newport West seat for 32 years, winning with a majority of 5,658 and more than half the vote in 2017.

In her victory speech, Mrs Jones said: "This by-election has taken place because of the sad passing of Paul Flynn, our friend.

"There have been many tributes to him over the weeks, but one saying stood out to me: 'Everyone knew someone helped by Paul Flynn'. These words have been an inspiration to me during this campaign."

She added: "I will stand up for the people, the jobs and the economy of Newport West.

"Who knows what the next few days, weeks and months will bring. But what I do know is that people have had enough after a decade of austerity.

"They've had enough of cuts that have taken police off our streets, they've had enough of being made to feel worthless by universal credit and the bedroom tax. If I'm going to parliament it's with those people in my heart and Newport in my mind."

In the 2016 EU referendum the city voted Leave by a margin of 56% to 44%.

Mrs Jones, who campaigned for Remain in the lead-up to the referendum, said the country should not accept a "damaging Tory Brexit" or a no-deal outcome.

The a former president of the Wales Trade Union Congress said: "The general consensus was that Brexit had become a cloud that was on top of people and it seemed to be stopping the main issues getting up to parliament, so the people of Newport West feel their voices are not being heard at the moment.

"The trust in politicians is very low at the moment and I recognise that.

"They say get on with it, we need to make sure we bring this to a close now, it's gone on long enough."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been meeting Prime Minister Theresa May for talks on a possible cross-party Brexit compromise, welcomed the victory.

"Ruth will be a fantastic successor to Paul Flynn and will take up the tireless work he carried out for this community," he said.

"Tonight's result sends a clear message that the people of Newport and Wales are fed up of austerity which has robbed the Welsh economy of £1bn through needless cuts, and shows support for Labour's alternative."

Voter turnout was 37.1%, down from 67.5% in the 2017 general election, with parties blaming poor weather including rain and hail on Thursday.

© Sky News 2019