Labour sends MPs out in force ahead of crunch by-elections

Labour today deployed the full campaigning force of its MPs in two crunch by-elections today.

More than 200 of the party’s MPs travelled to Copeland in Cumbria and Stoke Central to knock on doors or hit the phone-lines to rally supporters.

Ilford North MP Wes Streeting said most of Labour’s London MPs were out campaigning to defend the two seats from Ukip and the Tories.

Speaking from Stoke, he said: “I’m feeling really optimistic. Turnout is going to be the key thing — that is why Labour activists and MPs are coming up en masse.”

As Storm Doris brought winds of 94mph this morning, election expert Professor John Curtice suggested Ukip could be hit hard by the bad weather, particularly in Stoke where the party complained of not getting many postal votes and needs turnout on the day.

The Conservatives are looking to take Copeland, which Labour has held since 1983, and predict a surge of votes in Stoke despite finishing third in 2015.