Labour claims comfortable wins in two Commons by-elections

Labour have held two crucial Parliamentary seats in what new MP Gill Furniss described as “emphatic message” to David Cameron’s “uncaring government”.

Furniss won the Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough seat in last night’s by-election. She won 14,097 votes, or 66.5 per cent of the overall share – a jump from the 56.6 per cent Labour achieved in 2015.

After winning, Furniss said people have “had enough” of the Conservative Government.

“Tonight the people of Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough have sent David Cameron an emphatic message: Mr Cameron we have had enough of your uncaring government. We have had enough of your Tory government’s unfair cuts which have hit communities like ours in Sheffield so much more than affluent areas.”

UKIP came second, with 4,497 votes. They have maintained a similar share of the vote – 21.2 per cent – a small dip from 22.1 per cent last year.

Furniss was the wife of the late Harry Harpham, who previously held the seat. He died in February.

In Wales, Chris Elmore has held Ogmore constituency with a very small increase in share of the vote. He delivered a win with 54.2 per cent of votes cast, up from 52.9 per cent in 2015.

UKIP have seen a marginal improvement, up from 15.4 per cent of the vote to 16.7 per cent.

Huw Irranca-Davies vacated the seat to run in the Welsh Assembly, where he has won for Labour in the same Ogmore seat. Elsewhere in Wales, Labour have lost their Rhondda seat to Leanne Wood, leader of Plaid Cymru.

Here are the full results for both elections:

Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Gill Furniss, Labour: 14,087/21186

Christine Kubo, Green: 938

Stevie Mannion, Yorkshire First: 349

Shaffaq Mohammed, Lib Dems: 1,385

Ogmore

Chris Elmore, Labour: 12,383

Glenda Davies, UKIP: 3,808

Abi Thomas, Plaid Cymru: 3,683

Alex Williams, Conservatives: 2,956