Labour’s Jim McMahon saw off a strong challenge from Ukip to storm to victory with a majority of more than 10,000, which will provide some relief to Mr Corbyn, whose leadership would have been called into question had the party lost the Greater Manchester seat it has held for decades.
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The party, which came second to Labour, claims people had turned up at polling stations with “bundles of postal votes” and in some areas people had voted nearly exclusively voted for Labour. The young Oldham Council leader also unexpectedly increased Labour’s share of the vote in Oldham West and Royton to 62.1%.
Opposition Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, center, stands as he makes a speech to lawmakers inside the House of Commons in London, during a debate on launching airstrikes against ISIS extremists inside Syria, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015.
“I am delighted that Labour has not only won the Oldham West and Royston by-election – but increased our share of the vote since the general election in May”, he said on Twitter.
Questioned on Mr Farage’s assertion that postal voting was “bent”, Mr McMahon said: “There is nothing wrong with people making a democratic decision not to support Ukip”.
The socialist said: “By-elections can be hard for the party holding the seat, and turnouts often low”.
Reports from the campaign trail in Oldham had suggested Labour was haemorrhaging votes among its traditional white working class supporters, horrified by what one commentator called the party’s transformation into a “poncified” party of middle class Metropolitan liberals.
McMahon – the former leader of Oldham Council – also dismissed Mr Farage’s accusations.
Ukip’s candidate in Oldham West, John Bickley, almost overturned an 11,000 Labour majority at the Heywood and Middleton by-election last October, losing by just 600 votes.
Anti-war Labour MP Paul Flynn: “Real votes by real Oldham people is first public expression of doubt against Cameron’s dodgy dossier with his invented bogus battalions”.
But it was the hope of Ukip and the fear of many in Labour that McMahon’s strengths would count for little as voters revolted against Corbyn. “And I’m sick of it. And I think it’s about time we showed the Tories that people have had enough”.
Mr Farage expanded on theme on Friday morning, as Ukip announced it will file a formal complaint over alleged “abuses” in the election.
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Green candidate Simeon Hart polled 249 and Monster Raving Loony Sir Oink-A-Lot trailed on 141.
