By-elections LIVE: Peter Bone’s girlfriend aims for Wellingborough seat as Kingswood faces axe

Labour is trying to limit the damage of the latest antisemitism row in the party just hours before voting begins in two crucial by-elections.

Former Labour MP Graham Jones is understood to have been administratively suspended from the party pending an investigation after audio emerged of him using the words “f****** Israel” during a meeting.

He also allegedly suggested that British people who volunteer to fight with the Israeli Defence Forces should be “locked up”.

Labour would have to follow a formal process if the party wanted to drop Mr Jones as candidate for Hyndburn at the next general election, but he is believed to have attended an interview on Tuesday evening.

It comes after Labour withdrew support for the party’s candidate for the Rochdale by-election, Azhar Ali, for apparently making antisemitic remarks at the same meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party.

Voting begins at 7am on Thursday in by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood, and the controversy may damage Labour’s chance of gaining two seats won by the Conservatives at the last general election

Voters also go to the polls in the Rochdale by-election at the end of the month.

Labour this week withdrew support for the party’s candidate in that by-election, Azhar Ali, for apparently making antisemitic remarks at the same meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party.

Also running in Rochdale are former Labour MPs Simon Danczuk, now the Reform Party candidate, and George Galloway, of the Workers Party of Britain, who is campaigning against Labour’s stance on Gaza.

If the Conservatives lose one or both of Thursday’s by-elections in Kingswood and Wellingborough, it would mean the government has clocked up more by-election defeats in a single parliament than any government since the 1960s.

The Tories’ current tally of by-election losses since the 2019 general election is eight: Chesham & Amersham and North Shropshire in 2021 (both gained by the Liberal Democrats); Tiverton & Honiton and Wakefield in 2022 (won by the Lib Dems and Labour respectively); and Selby & Ainsty, Somerton & Frome, Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth in 2023 (all Labour gains except Somerton & Frome, which was won by the Lib Dems).

The last government to lose this many by-elections during a single parliament was the 1992-97 Conservative administration led by John Major.

If the Tories lose one or both of Thursday’s contests, it would bring to nine or 10 the number of defeats so far this parliament: more than any previous government since the 1966-70 Labour administration of Harold Wilson, which endured 15 losses.

Even accounting for the Conservatives’ one by-election gain this parliament – winning Hartlepool from Labour in 2021 – a double defeat on Thursday would bring the party’s overall by-election scorecard to nine net losses (10 defeats, one gain).

This would still be worse than any government since 1966-70.

The Conservatives have three challenging by-elections to contest in February, with the Northamptonshire seat of Wellingborough looming large in the public eye.

Up for grabs after the departure of disgraced former MP Peter Bone, the local Conservative Party have selected his partner – Helen Harrison – as his replacement candidate. Wellingborough’s former MP Peter Bone was suspended from Parliament for six weeks last year, following a watchdog report into his behaviour.

The independent panel found he had bullied and indecently exposed himself to a member of staff, allegations which he continues to deny.

Ms Harrison has stood by her partner, telling the BBC that she believes the panel “got it wrong”. The former physiotherapist insists she is “proud” to have Mr Bone on the campaign trail with her, and that voters have not been raising the issue on the doorstep.

The Northamptonshire constituency was won by Peter Bone for the Conservatives at every general election from 2005 to 2019.

He increased the Tories’ share of the vote at each poll, pushing it up from 43% in 2005 to 48% in 2010, 52% in 2015, 57% in 2017 and 62% in 2019.

Labour came second in four of the five contests, the exception being 2015 when Ukip was runner-up.

Further back, Labour won Wellingborough at the 1997 and 2001 general elections.

The chain of events that led to the by-election began when Mr Bone received a six-week suspension from the House of Commons after an inquiry found he had subjected a staff member to bullying and sexual misconduct.

The suspension triggered a recall petition in his constituency which was signed by more than 10% of voters – the threshold for an MP to be removed from their seat.

The by-election is similar to Kingswood in that is it a two-horse race between the Conservatives and Labour.

However, the swing needed by Labour to win the seat is larger, at 17.9 percentage points – in other words, the equivalent of a net change of 18 in every 100 people who voted Tory in 2019 switching sides.

This is still a smaller swing than the ones managed by Labour in 2023 at the by-elections in Tamworth, Selby & Ainsty and Mid Bedfordshire.

There are 11 candidates standing in this by-election: Nick the Flying Brick (Official Monster Raving Loony), Ana Gunn (Liberal Democrat), Ben Habib (Reform), Helen Harrison (Conservative), Ankit Love Jknpp Jay Mala Post-Mortem (no description), Gen Kitchen (Labour), Alex Merola (Britain First), Will Morris (Green), Andre Pyne-Bailey (Independent), Marion Turner-Hawes (no description) and Kev Watts (Independent).

The constituency of Wellingborough is being replaced at the next general election by the new seat of Wellingborough & Rushden.

Chris Skidmore won the Gloucestershire constituency for the Conservatives at the past four general elections, increasing his share of the vote on each occasion, from 40% in 2010 to 49% in 2015, 55% in 2017 and 56% in 2019.

Before 2010, Labour had won the seat at every general election since 1992.

This week’s by-election was triggered by Mr Skidmore’s resignation as MP in January, in protest at Government legislation to boost North Sea oil and gas drilling.

He had previously announced his intention to stand down at the next general election, when the constituency is being abolished.

Labour came second in the seat at each of the past four general elections and is the main challenger in Thursday’s contest.

To win, the party needs a swing in the share of the vote of 11.4 percentage points.

This is the equivalent of a net change of 12 in every 100 people who voted Conservative in 2019 switching sides.

It is a much smaller swing than the ones achieved by Labour in its recent by-election successes against the Tories, such as 23.9 percentage points at Tamworth, 23.7 points at Selby & Ainsty and 20.5 points at Mid Bedfordshire.

There are six candidates standing in the by-election: Sam Bromiley (Conservative), Andrew Brown (Liberal Democrat), Damien Egan (Labour), Lorraine Francis (Green), Rupert Lowe (Reform) and Nicholas Wood (Ukip).

The abolition of the constituency at the next general election – which has to take place by law no later than January 2025 – means whoever wins the by-election will represent the seat for only a few months.

If the Tories lose one or both of Thursday’s contests, it would bring to nine or 10 the number of defeats so far this parliament: more than any previous government since the 1966-70 Labour administration of Harold Wilson, which endured 15 losses.

Even accounting for the Conservatives’ one by-election gain this parliament – winning Hartlepool from Labour in 2021 – a double defeat on Thursday would bring the party’s overall by-election scorecard to nine net losses (10 defeats, one gain).

This would still be worse than any government since 1966-70.

If the Conservatives lose one or both of Thursday’s by-elections in Kingswood and Wellingborough, it would mean the Government has clocked up more by-election defeats in a single parliament than any government since the 1960s.

The Tories’ current tally of by-election losses since the 2019 general election is eight: Chesham & Amersham and North Shropshire in 2021 (both gained by the Liberal Democrats); Tiverton & Honiton and Wakefield in 2022 (won by the Lib Dems and Labour respectively); and Selby & Ainsty, Somerton & Frome, Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth in 2023 (all Labour gains except Somerton & Frome, which was won by the Lib Dems).

The last government to lose this many by-elections during a single parliament was the 1992-97 Conservative administration led by John Major.

There are 11 candidates standing in this by-election: Nick the Flying Brick (Official Monster Raving Loony), Ana Gunn (Liberal Democrat), Ben Habib (Reform), Helen Harrison (Conservative), Ankit Love Jknpp Jay Mala Post-Mortem (no description), Gen Kitchen (Labour), Alex Merola (Britain First), Will Morris (Green), Andre Pyne-Bailey (Independent), Marion Turner-Hawes (no description) and Kev Watts (Independent).

The constituency of Wellingborough is being replaced at the next general election by the new seat of Wellingborough & Rushden.