2022 Wakefield by-election

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2022 Wakefield by-election
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Wakefield constituency
Registered69,601
Turnout39.1% (Decrease2.svg 25.0 pp)
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Official portrait of Simon Lightwood, 2022 (cropped).jpg
Con
Ind
Candidate Simon Lightwood Nadeem AhmedAkef Akbar
Party Labour Conservative Independent
Popular vote13,1668,2412,090
Percentage47.9%30.0%7.7%
SwingIncrease2.svg8.6 pp Decrease2.svg 17.0pp New
MP before election

Imran Ahmad Khan
Conservative

Elected MP

Simon Lightwood
Labour

A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Wakefield was held on 23 June 2022. [1] [2] It was triggered by the resignation, on 3 May 2022, of Member of Parliament (MP) Imran Ahmad Khan, who was elected as a Conservative at the 2019 general election and resigned following a criminal conviction for child sexual assault. Ahmad Khan was subsequently jailed for 18 months.

Contents

The election was won by Simon Lightwood of the Labour Party, and was the first by-election gain made by Labour since 2012. [3] It was held on the same day as the Tiverton and Honiton by-election in Devon, [4] which the Conservatives lost to the Liberal Democrats. [5] This marked the first time since the 1991 Kincardine and Deeside and Langbaurgh by-elections that a British government had lost two seats in by-elections on the same day.

Background

Boundary of Wakefield constituency in West Yorkshire Wakefield2007Constituency.svg
Boundary of Wakefield constituency in West Yorkshire

Constituency

Wakefield lies in the county of West Yorkshire. The seat covers most of Wakefield itself (besides the Wakefield South ward), the small towns of Ossett and Horbury, and the more rural parishes of Crigglestone, Sitlington, West Bretton and Woolley. In the 2016 EU referendum, 63% of the voters who turned out voted to leave the European Union. [6]

The by-election was expected to be the ninth or tenth of the 2019 Parliament. Before Ahmad Khan won the seat for the Conservatives at the 2019 general election, it had been held by the Labour Party since the 1932 Wakefield by-election, when Labour gained the seat from the Conservatives. [7] The seat is regarded as part of the so-called "red wall", and Labour hoped to regain it. [8]

Trigger

Ahmad Khan was first elected as the Conservative MP for Wakefield in the 2019 general election. He lost the whip in June 2021 after being charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in 2008. He sat as an independent for the remaining months of his tenure as MP. [9] He was convicted of the assault on 11 April 2022 and expelled from the party, [10] [11] announcing his intention to resign as an MP on 14 April 2022. [12] [13] On 25 April, Khan submitted his resignation, effective from 30 April, enabling him to claim his full pay as MP for the month. [14] [15] On 3 May Khan was appointed as Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern, officially ceasing to be an MP. [16] On 23 May Khan was sentenced to 18 months in prison. [17]

On 17 May the writ of election was moved by the Chief Whip, Chris Heaton-Harris, formally triggering the by-election. It was scheduled to be held on 23 June 2022, the same day as the Tiverton and Honiton by-election. [4]

Candidates

Conservative Party

The Daily Telegraph reported that Lord Frost was being urged by his allies to stand in the seat. [18] In its Steerpike opinion piece, The Spectator discussed the prospect of Frost being the Conservative candidate, noting the Telegraph's support for the idea. [19]

On 20 May 2022, the Conservatives published a shortlist of three candidates: Nadeem Ahmed, a Conservative councillor for Wakefield South ward and Leader of the Wakefield Conservative group from 2014 to 2021; [20] Laura Weldon, council candidate for Wakefield West in the 2022 election and former Deputy Leader of the Yorkshire Party; [21] and Tanya Graham, previously the Conservative candidate for Bradford South in both the 2015 and 2017 elections. Ahmed was chosen as the candidate on 22 May. [22]

Labour Party

Mary Creagh, Labour MP for the constituency until the 2019 general election, confirmed in a statement on Twitter that she would not be seeking to be the party's candidate for the by-election. [23] [24] Sources within the Labour Party initially suggested that Ed Balls, former minister and MP for neighbouring Morley and Outwood, could be a potential candidate in the by-election with the backing of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, as reported by Politico and The Times . [25] Balls responded on social media that he would not be putting his name forward as the Labour candidate. [26]

In March 2022, LabourList wrote that Jack Hemingway, deputy leader of Wakefield Council, was considered the frontrunner, [27] but his name ultimately did not appear on the longlist, nor did three other local candidates who had put their names forward. [28] This was criticised by the local party for contradicting one of Keir Starmer's ten pledges during the 2020 Labour leadership election: "The selections for Labour candidates needs to be more democratic and we should end NEC impositions of candidates. Local Party members should select their candidates for every election." [29]

The party announced four candidates for the longlist: Community Union employee Kate Dearden; Sam Howarth, an employee of Barnsley Central MP Dan Jarvis who previously worked for Jenny Chapman; NHS worker Simon Lightwood, who formerly worked as a staffer for Creagh; and Rachael Kenningham. [30]

Wakefield Constituency Labour Party (CLP) selected Dearden and Lightwood for the shortlist, [31] but the following day, the entire CLP executive committee (barring one externally appointed individual) [32] resigned in protest at the absence of any candidates on the list who lived in Wakefield. [30] In a statement, they said: "We asked for local candidates, but there are none. Three prominent council and local Labour candidates, including the deputy council leader didn't even make it onto the 'long list'. A short list of four was requested by our representative on the panel to give members some choice but the NEC members insisted on just two." [29]

Lightwood was selected on 15 May [33] on a turnout of 23% of local party members. [33] The local Labour committee walked out of the room, but The Guardian reported that "several officers appeared to be uneasy about the walkout". [34]

Other parties

The Yorkshire Party selected the Crigglestone-based former Conservative councillor David Herdson as their candidate. [35] Herdson and independent candidate, Akef Akbar, are both former Conservative Party councillors. [36]

The Liberal Democrats selected Jamie Needle as their candidate. Needle previously contested the constituency in 2019. [37]

In May 2022, George Galloway, who ran in the 2021 Batley and Spen by-election, suggested he might stand in this by-election for the Workers Party, [38] but ultimately he did not declare.

The Green Party selected Ashley Routh as their candidate. [39] Reform UK selected Chris Walsh as their candidate. [40] Britain First selected Ashlea Simon as their candidate. [41]

Opinion polls

PollsterClientDate(s)
conducted		Sample
size		 Con Lab Reform Lib Dem Green OthersLead
2022 by-election 23 Jun 2022–30.0%47.9%1.9%1.8%2.1%16.3%17.9%
Survation 38 Degrees 24 May – 1 Jun 202251933%56%3%2%2%5% [lower-alpha 1] 23%
JL Partners The Times 13–22 May 202250128%48%3%7%8%6%20%
2019 general election 12 Dec 2019–47.3%39.8%6.1%3.9%–2.9%7.5%

Notes

Results

Bar chart of the election result 2022 Wakefield by-election.svg
Bar chart of the election result

The by-election was won by Labour with a majority of 4,925 votes, or 17.9 percentage points, with a swing of 12.7% from the Conservatives towards Labour. [3]

2022 Wakefield by-election [42]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Simon Lightwood 13,166 47.9 +8.1
Conservative Nadeem Ahmed8,24130.0–17.3
Independent Akef Akbar2,0907.6New
Yorkshire David Herdson1,1824.3+2.4
Green Ashley Routh5872.1New
Reform UK Chris Walsh5131.9–4.2
Liberal Democrats Jamie Needle5081.8–2.1
Britain First Ashlea Simon3111.1New
Freedom Alliance Mick Dodgson1870.7New
Monster Raving Loony Sir Archibald Stanton Earl 'Eaton1710.6New
CPA Paul Bickerdike1440.5New
English Democrat Therese Hirst1350.5New
UKIP Jordan Gaskell1240.5New
NIP Christopher Jones840.3New
Independent Jayda Fransen 230.1New
Majority4,92517.9N/A
Turnout 27,46639.5–25.0
Registered electors 69,601
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +12.7

Previous result

General election 2019: Wakefield [43]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Imran Ahmad Khan 21,283 47.3 +2.3
Labour Mary Creagh 17,92539.8–9.9
Brexit Party Peter Wiltshire2,7256.1N/A
Liberal Democrats Jamie Needle1,7723.9+1.9
Yorkshire Ryan Kett8681.9–0.6
Independent Stephen Whyte4541.0N/A
Majority3,3587.5N/A
Turnout 45,02764.1–1.7
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +6.1

Reactions

Labour leader Keir Starmer said the election was a judgment on the Tories and Boris Johnson, and "if they had any decency they would get out of the way for the sake of the country". He said the result put Labour on track to form a government. [44] He also said the people of Wakefield had exercised a judgment of no confidence in the Conservative government. [45]

Political scientist Sir John Curtice noted that of five consecutive by-elections defended by the Tories, they had only successfully defended one of them. He stated that the average drop in support in those five by-elections, of 20%, was the worst by-election record by a governing party since John Major's government. However, Curtice also wrote that it was unclear whether enthusiasm for Labour had materialised as in Tony Blair's 1997 victory, and that Labour's victory was more due to tactical voting against the Conservatives. He pointed to Labour's smaller vote share than their 2017 performance in the constituency as well as some "disaffected" Tories voting for independent Akef Akbar instead. [46]

Simon Lightwood, the new MP, pledged in his victory speech to "restore trust" in politics, saying the result showed that Wakefield voters had tired of the "deceit and dishonesty of this [Conservative] government". [47]

In the wake of Conservative losses in both Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton, Oliver Dowden resigned from his roles as Conservative Party Co-Chairman and Minister without Portfolio, stating: "We cannot carry on with business as usual. Someone must take responsibility". [48]

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References

  1. ↑ O'Donoghue, Dan (17 May 2022). "Wakefield by election confirmed as government formally calls the vote". YorkshireLive . Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Notice of Election" (PDF). Wakefield Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 Airey, Tom (24 June 2022). "Wakefield by-election result: Labour defeat Tories to retake seat". BBC News . Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  4. 1 2 Ford Rojas, John-Paul (17 May 2022). "Boris Johnson faces test as Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton by-elections triggered". Sky News. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  5. ↑ Walker, Peter (24 June 2022). "Tories lose two key byelections on same night in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton". The Guardian . Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  6. ↑ "Seat Details - Wakefield". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "House of Commons". 15 February 2015. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ↑ Adu, Aletha (14 April 2022). "Tory Imran Ahmad Khan quits as MP triggering by-election after sexual assault conviction". Daily Mirror. Reach. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  9. ↑ Vincent, James (11 April 2022). "Imran Ahmad Khan: What happens when an MP is convicted?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  10. ↑ Atkinson, Emily (11 April 2022). "MP thrown out of Conservative Party after being found guilty of sexual assault of boy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  11. ↑ Pidd, Helen (11 April 2022). "Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan found guilty of sexually assaulting boy, 15". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  12. ↑ Steerpike (14 April 2022). "Exclusive: disgraced MP to quit". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  13. ↑ "Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan quits after sexual assault conviction". BBC News. 14 April 2022. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  14. ↑ Pidd, Helen (28 April 2022). "Imran Ahmad Khan completes MP resignation process with full April pay". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  15. ↑ "Contact Imran Ahmad Khan". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  16. ↑ "Three Hundreds of Chiltern". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  17. ↑ "Ex-MP jailed for sex assault on teenage boy". BBC News. 23 May 2022. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  18. ↑ Malnick, Edward (30 April 2022). "Lord Frost urged to stand for Neil Parish's seat in by-election". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  19. ↑ Steerpike (10 May 2022). "Will Lord Frost stand as an MP?". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 10 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  20. ↑ Spereall, David (30 July 2021). "Wakefield Council's Conservative group leader ousted by party colleagues in coup". Wakefield Express . Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  21. ↑ Spereall, David (25 August 2020). "Ex Yorkshire Party deputy leader rejoins Conservatives and says she wants to hold Boris Johnson to his 'levelling up' promises". Wakefield Express. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  22. ↑ "Wakefield by-election: Nadeem Ahmed is Conservative Party pick". BBC News. 22 May 2022. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  23. ↑ Creagh, Mary [@MaryCreagh_] (15 April 2022). "I've been moved and humbled by people asking me to stand in the Wakefield by-election. After a lot of thought, I have decided not to put myself forward as Labour's candidate. I am sure voters will choose an MP worthy of our great city" (Tweet). Retrieved 15 April 2022– via Twitter.
  24. ↑ Norden, Jasmine (17 April 2022). "Former Wakefield MP announces she will not run in by-election". YorkshireLive. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  25. ↑ Wickham, Alex (20 April 2022). "London Playbook: Indian runner — 8,000 miles apart — Don't mention the NLAW". Politico . Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  26. ↑ Morris, Sophie (22 April 2022). "Ed Balls strictly not interested in Westminster comeback through Wakefield by-election". Sky News. Archived from the original on 22 April 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  27. ↑ Rodgers, Sienna (15 March 2022). "Labour candidates prepare for potential by-election in Wakefield after MP trial". LabourList. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  28. ↑ McCormick, Sebastian (12 May 2022). "Controversy as Labour announces longlist for Wakefield by election". YorkshireLive. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  29. 1 2 Bloom, Dan; Dickinson, Katie (13 May 2022). "Wakefield Labour group's entire committee resigns in by-election candidates row". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  30. 1 2 Chappell, Elliot (13 May 2022). "Exclusive: Wakefield local party executive resigns over selection process". LabourList. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  31. ↑ Doherty, Caitlin (12 May 2022). "Labour shortlists trade unionist and NHS staff member as potential Wakefield by-election candidates". The Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  32. ↑ Chappell, Elliot [@elliot_chappell] (15 May 2022). ""Consequently, The Executive Committee (including all the Officers bar one externally appointed individual) is resigning in consequence, and it will be for the full Constituency General Management Committee to receive our resignations and take matters forward."" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 May 2022– via Twitter.
  33. 1 2 "Wakefield Labour candidate chosen after committee walks out". BBC News. 15 May 2022. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  34. ↑ Elgot, Jessica (15 May 2022). "Wakefield Labour chiefs walk out of final vote on byelection candidate". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  35. ↑ "Wakefield By-election: Yorkshire Party selects David Herdson". BBC News . 23 May 2022. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  36. ↑ "Two ex-Tories standing against the party in key Yorkshire by election". 8 June 2022.
  37. ↑ "Wakefield by-election: Lib Dems select Jamie Needle". BBC News. 24 May 2022. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  38. ↑ Hyde, Nathan (17 May 2022). "George Galloway said he may stand in upcoming Wakefield by election". The Yorkshire Post . Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  39. ↑ "Wakefield by-election: Green Party candidate on cost of living". BBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  40. ↑ "Wakefield by-election: Reform UK candidate on cost of living". BBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  41. ↑ "Wakefield by-election: Britain First candidate on cost of living". BBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  42. ↑ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF). 25 May 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  43. ↑ "Wakefield Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Archived from the original on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  44. ↑ Conservatives are 'absolutely imploding,' says Starmer
  45. ↑ "Wakefield by-election: Labour win a great result, says Keir Starmer]". BBC News . Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  46. ↑ Cecil, Nicholas (24 June 2022). "Sir John Curtice: Tories in trouble but Keir Starmer still missing crucial spark". Evening Standard . Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  47. ↑ Simon Lightwood: Newly-elected MP says Wakefield people have spoken BBC
  48. ↑ "My letter of resignation to the Prime Minister". Twitter. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
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