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Historic wins for Labour in Cheshire

BBC Tim RocaBBC
Tim Roca is Labour's first ever MP for Macclesfield

Labour have made historic gains in Cheshire, taking two seats that have been held by the Conservatives for decades.

The party took Macclesfield, a seat held by the Tories since 1918, for the first time with a majority of more than 9,000, while Congleton, which had only ever returned Conservative MPs, went to Labour with a 21.6% vote swing.

However, Minister without Portfolio Esther McVey held neighbouring Tatton for the Conservatives with a reduced majority from 19,000 to just over 1,000.

"What a night for the Labour Party," Tim Roca, the new MP for Macclesfield, said.

PA Media Esther McVey PA Media
Esther McVey majority in Tatton narrowed from 19,281 to 1,136

Macclesfield has only ever had five different MPs and has been held the Tories for more than a century.

David Rutley won with a majority of 10,000 in 2019, but a 18.6% swing saw the Tories fall into second place with 15,552 votes to Labour's 24,672.

During the election campaign, both of the major parties sent big names to Macclesfield, with the constituency welcoming Rishi Sunak, David Cameron, Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner.

Tim Roca said the "long national nightmare" of a Conservative government was over.

He also promised to "work his socks off" for constituents to "repay their trust".

Labour MP Connor Naismith, wearing a dark blue suit and red rosette, celebrates with numerous supporters dressed in red
In Crewe and Nantwich, Labour’s Connor Naismith (centre) won with a 9,000 majority

In Tatton, as a result of boundary changes, Esther McVey had a notional majority of 19,000.

That was reduced to just over 1,000 with Labour’s Ryan Jude securing more than 18,000 votes.

Congleton, another Cheshire Conservative stronghold, went red as a 21.6% swing between the two major parties saw Labour gain control.

Conservative Fiona Bruce had held a majority of 18,000, but she lost out by 3,387 votes to Labour's Sarah Russell, who topped the poll with 18,875 votes.

In Crewe and Nantwich, Labour’s Connor Naismith won with a 9,000 majority over Conservative Ben Fletcher.

The seat’s former Conservative MP, Dr Kieran Mullan, instead stood for a seat in Sussex, Bexhill and Battle, which he won.

Labour also gained Warrington South - often seen as a bellwether seat - with Sarah Hall receiving more than 12,000 votes than the incumbent Conservative Andy Carter.

In the neighbouring seat, Labour’s Charlotte Nichols held Warrington North.

Chester was split into two constituencies for the first time.

In Chester South and Eddisbury, former City of Chester Conservative MP Giles Brandreth’s daughter Aphra won with a majority of just over 3,000 seats over Labour’s Angeliki Stogia.

In Chester North and Neston, Samantha Dixon, who had been the City of Chester MP since a by-election in 2022, won.

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