“This did not show a swing to Labour, it showed Conservative voters not coming out.” 

Facts

During a discussion of the Tamworth and Mid-Bedfordshire by-election, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan told ITV News that the results “did not show a swing to Labour, it showed Conservative voters not coming out.”

'This did not show a swing to @Labour'

Education Secretary @GillianKeegan speaks after two crushing by-election defeats for the @Conservatives in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire https://t.co/IN4rjDTqAk pic.twitter.com/P5P0HeUAWB

— ITV News Politics (@ITVNewsPolitics) October 20, 2023

In Tamworth, Labour’s Sarah Edwards bested Conservative opposition Andrew Cooper by 1,316 votes, overcoming a near 20,000-vote Conservative majority. 

Mid-Bedfordshire’s Alistair Strathern overcame a 24,000 majority, taking the seat from Conservative rival Festus Akinbusoye by 1,192 votes.

This represents a 23.9% swing for Tamworth, and 20.5% for Mid-Bedfordshire.

Verdict

The Tamworth and Mid-Bedfordshire results show a clear swing to Labour. In her attempt to minimise the scale of the Conservative defeat, Gillian Keegan misled ITV viewers.

We emailed Gillian Keegan’s parliamentary office offering her the chance to respond. The email was received, but no reply.