Labour fends off Ukip challenge to hold Stoke-on-Trent Central in by-election

• Tories take Copeland seat from Labour in first gain for government in by-election since 1982

• Narrowing gap on Labour is scant consolation for Ukip in 'Brexit capital of Britain'

• Copeland takes 'nuclear option' as it elects first Conservative since 1935 

Labour has held Stoke-on-Trent Central after Ukip leader Paul Nuttall failed in his bid to take the seat.

Gareth Snell secured a comfortable win of 7,853 to his challenger's 5,233 to be elected as the city's new MP.

Ukip campaigned hard in the constituency in the hope of capitalising on its overwhelming support for Brexit.

Stoke Central by-election results

But Mr Nuttall's campaign was hit by a series of setbacks, including being forced to apologise for a false claim on his website that he lost "close friends" in the Hillsborough disaster.

Mr Snell also faced a rocky campaign after it emerged he had described Jeremy Corbyn as an "IRA-supporting friend of Hamas" and called Brexit a "massive pile of s**t".

But the seat has been held by Labour since it was created in 1950 and the party secured a 5,179 majority in 2015.

The result will come as a relief to Mr Corbyn, but critics have insisted the result should have never been in doubt.

Labour secured a 2,620 majority but its vote share fell by around 2%, while Ukip's went up by the same amount.

Ukip is 'not going anywhere'

Mr Nuttall said Ukip was "not going anywhere" and insisted the party's "time would come". "There's a lot more to come from us," he said.

"We are not going anywhere, I'm not going anywhere."

Conceding defeat, Mr Nuttall said: "There's going to be a lot more seats which could be more favourable in the future and we will go on and we will have success in the future."

Profile | Paul Nuttall

Asked if Hillsborough had damaged his campaign, he said: "Well actually, you know, the whole thing with Hillsborough wasn't an issue on the doorstep in Stoke-on-Trent.

"Ukip's time will come".

The Stoke & Copeland by-elections: in pictures.

Quizzed on whether he would stand again, he replied: "I'll probably stand in the general election in 2020."

When asked what would happen to Mr Nuttall if Ukip failed to win, party chairman Paul Oakden said: "He has a well-earned rest and then he comes back and leads our party, I suspect.

"The whole narrative of Paul's leadership depends on winning in Stoke is a nonsense."

Voters chose 'politics of hope'

In his victory speech, Mr Snell said the poll showed that the city would not be "divided".

"We will move forward together to tackle the problems we face, and secure a brighter more prosperous future for everyone," he said.

And turning his attention to Ukip, he added: "So to those of you who came to Stoke-on-Trent to sow hatred and division and turn us away from our neighbours, I have one simple message: you have failed."

Stoke-on-Trent Central | EU Referendum result

Mr Snell said voters had chosen "the politics of hope over the politics of fear".

He added: "Our city has been the focus of a media which all too often prefers to dwell on our problems instead of highlighting our achievements.

"But over these last few weeks a city lazily dubbed by some as the capital of Brexit has once again proven to the world that we are so much more than that.

"We have said with one voice that hatred and bigotry are not welcome here. This is a proud city and we stand together."

A 'decisive rejection of Ukip's  politics of division'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ailed victory in Stoke as a "decisive rejection of Ukip's  politics of division and dishonesty." He  said "our message was not enough to win through in Copeland." 

He added: "Labour will go further to  reconnect with voters and break with the failed political consensus." "We have said with one voice that hatred and bigotry are not welcome here. This is a proud city and we stand together.

"In both campaigns, Labour listened to thousands of voters on the doorstep.

"Both constituencies, like so many in Britain, have been let down by the political establishment.

"To win power to rebuild and transform Britain, Labour will go further to reconnect with voters and break with the failed political consensus."

Earlier in the night, a spokesman for Mr Corbyn had said: "Labour's excellent campaign has won a clear victory in an election Ukip and the Tories threw everything at. "Stoke has rejected Ukip's politics of division and dishonesty.

"Ukip's claim to represent working class people has been exposed as a sham."

About | Stoke-on-Trent Central parliamentary constituency