Chris Webb is the country’s newest MP after Labour won a landslide victory in the Blackpool South by-election.
He received 10,825 votes after Thursday’s contest – a 58.9% vote share – with the Tories trailing far behind with just 3,218.
But who is he and what has he said about the vote?
Who is Chris Webb?
Mr Webb describes himself as “Blackpool born and bred, a true Sangrown’un” (the local term for people from Blackpool).
He is the 38-year-old son of a postman and a teaching assistant and has said he “followed in their footsteps” into public sector work.
He has said he joined his first picket line aged two when his father was on strike, joined his first trade union at 19 and has been a Labour Party member for more than 20 years.
Mr Webb lives in Blackpool South with his wife Portia and baby Cillian – who were both there to support him as the results were announced.
He was the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire from 2018 to 2021 and a councillor on Manchester City Council from 2015 to 2018.
Read more:
Winners and losers
Local election results as they come in
He chairs a mental health charity in Blackpool, Counselling in the Community, and has also raised money to feed children affected by cuts in free school meals
He was awarded a Local Hero Award in 2021 for his charity work during the pandemic.
‘Lifelong Conservatives voted for me’
Speaking to Sky News after his win was announced, Mr Webb said his priority in parliament would be the cost of living crisis, as it had “damaged so many people here in Blackpool South [and] people are struggling to make ends meet”.
He said people were “fed up” and “want change”.
He added: “Lifelong Conservatives voted for me in this election and Labour because they want that change.
“So many people are crying out for a Labour government. Rishi Sunak needs to admit he’s failed and call a general election.”
Speaking to a crowd of campaigners on Friday morning, he said “we absolutely smashed it” with every polling district in Blackpool “turning red”.
He added: “They want Labour, they want Keir in Number 10, they want a Labour government.”
Pic: PA
Blackpool vote sends a message to PM – Sir Keir Starmer
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer hailed the result, which saw a swing of 26.33% from the Tories, as “a direct message to the prime minister”.
He told Sky News: “There’s no denying the mood of the country now is for change. And I think it’s for the prime minister to allow the country to express that change now in a general election.”
Source Agencies
