Stoke Central by-election results announced – who won, who is Gareth Snell and what will Paul Nuttall do now?
LABOUR triumphed in the bitterly-fought Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election and held on to its seat.
With Storm Doris wreaking havoc in the home of pottery, Ukip failed to overturn Labour's 5,000 majority in what is regarded as a Brexit hot-spot.
Who won the Stoke by-election?
Candidate Gareth Snell managed to keep hold of Stoke Central for Labour after it vacated by political heavyweight Tristram Hunt.
Ukip’s leader Paul Nuttall was hoping to snatch the seat from Labour in a bid to become the party’s second MP.
But his party came second with 5,233 votes - although the party did enjoy a 2% swing.
This was closely followed by the Conservatives with 5,154 votes.
That was about a 2 per cent increase from the 2015 general election.
The turnout was down to 38% - which could have been affected by Storm Doris which was lashing Stoke as voters went to the polls.
Who is Gareth Snell?
The local councillor Gareth Snell was selected to defend Labour's 5,179 majority at the 2015 general election.
The former leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has previously worked for Tristram Hunt and campaign for Remain in the Brexit referendum.
Even before the controversies surrounding Labour's campaign, observers marked this out as a possible weakness in a city that overwhelmingly voted for Britain to leave the EU.
But enough people Stoke turned out for Labour in what has long been a safe seat.
In fact the party has held the seat for 67 years.
Tweeting later, Mr Snell said: “Honoured & humbled to have been elected as the MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central.
“Thanks to all who voted for me and all who made this possible.”
Meanwhile, Labour faced turmoil and a possible police probe after Muslim voters were warned they would go to hell if they didn't vote for Jeremy Corbyn's party in anonymous text messages.
Their candidate Gareth Snell was embroiled in controversy of his own after it emerged he once tweeted about hitting women – leading to him being branded "a fool and a bully".
The contest could be swung by an unlikely factor – Labour campaigners are worried that the stormy conditions brought by Storm Doris could affect turnout and scupper their chances.
Prime Minister Theresa May, meanwhile, has flooded the constituency with Tory MPs and activists in a last-minute bid to achieve a shock victory.
What will Paul Nuttall do now?
Even before he lost last night’s election Paul Nuttall said he would not resign and he would remain the leader of Ukip - and so far he has kept to his word.
Speaking to reporters at the count, the Ukip leader said that former leader Nigel Farage would not have done better.
"No chance," he said. "We just didn't get enough votes".
His party came second with 5,233 votes but closely followed by the Conservatives with 5,154 votes. That was about a 2 per cent increase from the 2015 general election.
And the Lib Dems doubled their share of the vote.
Mr Nuttall said after the results were announced: "There's a lot more to come from us. We're not going anywhere, I'm not going anywhere."
He announced his intention to stand again in the 2020 general election.
"There's other issues beyond Brexit... we will have success in the future," he added.
Ukip leader Paul Nuttall, had faced calls to resign as an MEP after admitting claims he lost a close friend in the Hillsborough disaster were untrue.
The episode saw Nuttall pull out of a by-election hustings, with organisers only told about an hour before the event's scheduled start.
Ukip's candidate was also forced to move out of the house he had been fighting his campaign from after the address was leaked on social media, sparking fears for his safety.
Their campaign then suffered an embarrassing setback when it was revealed a photo they tweeted of supporters supposedly campaigning in the constituency was actually taken in Bolton.
The biggest threat had been expected to come from Ukip leader Paul Nuttall, who hailed Stoke the "Capital of Brexit" when he confirmed he is standing.
Ukip came second in 2015 but Brexit-backing campaign group Labour Leave predicted Mr Nuttall will triumph with a lead of ten points.
The Conservatives chose 25-year-old local councillor Jack Brereton to contest the seat.
Why did Tristram Hunt resign as MP?
After being re-elected in May 2015 with a majority of 5,179, Hunt announced he was stepping down from the shadow cabinet following Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader.
The pair had “substantial political differences”, he said.
The backbencher announced he would be resigning as an MP in order to take up a post as director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
In a letter to MPs, he said it had been a “profound privilege” to represent The Potteries in Parliament for six-and-a-half years.
I have no desire to rock the boat now and anyone who interprets my decision to leave in that way is just plain wrong.
Tristram Hunt MP
He wrote: “As I enter a new role as a public servant, I will be leaving partisan politics behind me and will work impartially as a museum director.
“I am sorry to put you, the party and the people of Stoke-on-Trent through a by-election.
“I have no desire to rock the boat now and anyone who interprets my decision to leave in that way is just plain wrong.”
Chairman of V&A said he “greatly looked forward” to working with the politician.
Why is Stoke-on-Trent Central known as Brexit capital of the UK?
Almost 70 per cent of the population voted for Brexit, way over the average of 51.9 per cent.
It was dubbed the Brexit capital of the UK after 81,563 people chose to Leave the European Referendum over 36,027 remainers.
Fierce Remoaner Mr Hunt was quoted as saying before the referendum, “Leaving the EU would be a self-defeating dereliction of duty and history”.
Following the defeat, he said: "I am very disappointed that we have voted to leave the European Union, and I am disappointed that the argument to stay didn't carry the vote in Stoke-on-Trent where feelings were very strong about migration, public services and wage rates.
"We shouldn't rush into an exit, we should think carefully about the implications of the vote."
What have been the results of recent by-elections?
On June 16, 2016 Rosena Allin-Khan retained Labour's seat in Tooting after Sadiq Khan stepped down to become Mayor of London.
Labour also managed to keep control of Jo Cox's constituency after she was brutally murdered in Batley and Spen.
Ex-Corrie actress Tracy Brabin was elected on October 20, 2016.
The Conservatives also managed to cling on to ex-Prime Minister David Cameron's Witney seat when Robert Courts was elected on October 20.
But on December 1, Tory Zac Goldsmith lost his control of Richmond Park as Liberal Democrats overturned 23,000 majority.
Sarah Olney took advantage of Goldsmith's decision to run as an independent after triggering a by-election over plans to expand Heathrow airport.
The heavy defeat was costly to the Conservatives, but they managed to keep Sleaford and North Hykeham blue when Stephen Phillips quit because of “irreconcilable policy differences” with the government” over Brexit.
Conservative Caroline Johnson triumphed in the December 8 by-election, easing Tory fears of a Ukip takeover in the constituency.
How long has Labour held the Stoke-on-Trent Central seat?
The constituency was created since 1950 and has been Labour-held ever since.
Despite this Tristram Hunt had a majority of just 5,179.
Stoke-on-Trent Central is set to be axed by the 2020 general election, and parcelled up between neighbouring seats held by fellow MPs Ruth Smeeth and Rob Flello.
