Mike Amesbury: Ex-Runcorn MP blames Labour mistakes for election losses-OxBig News Network

Ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury has blamed “big political mistakes” over benefit cuts by the government on a disastrous set of election results.

Labour lost 187 council seats as well as a by-election in his former seat of Runcorn and Helsby, where Reform overturned a 14,700 majority to win by just six votes.

The by-election was triggered when Amesbury resigned after receiving a 10-week prison sentence for assaulting a constituent, which was reduced to a suspended sentence after an appeal.

While taking responsibility for causing the by-election, Amesbury said Reform were “the beneficiaries” of government mistakes on cutting winter fuel payments and disability benefits.

The by-election vote was held alongside a series of council elections across England, which marked Sir Keir Starmer’s first major electoral test as prime minister.

Amesbury said he “wasn’t surprised” by the results.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “When you look at the results in the months leading up to this by-election and the local election results the same picture emerged – and Reform have been the beneficiaries of some big political mistakes from the Labour government.”

He cited the decision to axe winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners and make it more difficult for people to claim personal independence payments (Pips).

Amesbury said he “sincerely hopes” the prime minister and Chancellor Rachel Reeves “not only listen, but learn and respond”.