�* majority of overturned a tory majority of overturned a tory majority of over 11,000. overturned a tory majority of over11,000. he overturned a tory majority of over 11,000. he got 2500 more votes than the conservative candidate, and here you can see that result with 11,176 for damien egan, 8675 for the conservatives and the reform candidate, rupert lowe, got 2578. we can show you what that means in terms of the share of the vote. labour took 44.9% of the vote. labour took 44.9% of the vote, and the conservatives 34.9%. let us go back to kettering. thank you, ladies and gentlemen, good morning and welcome. i, being the returning officer at the election for a member of parliament for wellingborough on thursday the 15th of february 2024, do hereby give notice that the number of votes recorded for

each candidate at the said election is as follows. nick the flying brick, the official monster raving loony party, 217 votes. cheering ana savage gunn, liberal democrats, 1422 votes. applause ben habib, reform uk, 3919 votes. applause helen harrison, the conservative party candidate,

7408 votes. applause ankit love jknpp jay mala postmortem, 18 votes. applause gen kitchen, labour party, 13,844 votes. cheering alex merola, britain first, 477 votes. will norris, green party, 1020 votes.

applause andre pyne—bailey, independent, 172 votes. marion turner—hawes 1115 votes. cheering kevin watts, independent, 533 votes. the number of ballot papers rejected was as follows. for want of an official mark, none. voting for more candidates than the voter was entitled to, 14. writing or mark by which the

voter could not be identified, none. being unmarked or wholly void, 61. rejected in part, none. the total number of ballot papers that was rejected was 75. vacant seats, one. electorate, 79,376. ballot papers issues, 30,231. turnout, 38.1%. and i do hereby declare that gen kitchen of the labour party is duly elected. studio: so labour have won the wellingborough by—election, and we will now hear the winning candidate, gen kitchen, for labour, give a speech. i invite the winning — labour, give a speech. i invite the winning candidate - labour, give a speech. i invite the winning candidate to - labour, give a speech. i invite

the winning candidate to the l the winning candidate to the lectern. i'm sorry, that's my mum! i am delighted to stand — that's my mum! i am delighted to stand here is the newly elected _ to stand here is the newly elected labour mp for wellingborough. cheering emma cheering _ . i am honoured that local --eole . i am honoured that local peeple have _ . i am honoured that local people have placed - . i am honoured that local people have placed their i . i am honoured that local- people have placed their trust in me — people have placed their trust in me and the labour party under_ in me and the labour party under keirstarmer. in me and the labour party under keir starmer. but i also know— under keir starmer. but i also know from _ under keir starmer. but i also know from the thousands of conversations i have had during this campaign how desperately people — this campaign how desperately people want to change and a fresh — people want to change and a fresh start for our country. the — fresh start for our country. the people of wellingborough have — the people of wellingborough have spoken for britain. that is a _ have spoken for britain. that is a stunning victory for the labour_ is a stunning victory for the labour party, and must send a

message — labour party, and must send a message from northamptonshire to downing street. i ran a positive — to downing street. i ran a positive campaign built on both the locat— positive campaign built on both the local issues that people told — the local issues that people told me _ the local issues that people told me needed addressing here as well_ told me needed addressing here as well as the national desire for change. people here are patriotic, _ for change. people here are patriotic, and hopeful for our country. _ patriotic, and hopeful for our country, and they care about our community. but they know that our— our community. but they know that our roads aren't fit to drive _ that our roads aren't fit to drive on. _ that our roads aren't fit to drive on, getting your child a doctor's— drive on, getting your child a doctor's appointment can seem impossible and that they are paying — impossible and that they are paying more and getting less. today— paying more and getting less. today they said enough is enough _ enough. applause i would like to take this opportunity to thank the returning officers and the counting staff for all of your hard — counting staff for all of your hard work tonight. i would also like to— hard work tonight. i would also like to thank my opponents, who worked _ like to thank my opponents, who worked incredibly hard to put their— worked incredibly hard to put their case to the people too. thank— their case to the people too. thank you to my incredible team for all— thank you to my incredible team for all the — thank you to my incredible team for all the work you've put in over— for all the work you've put in over the _ for all the work you've put in over the last three months, and in particular all of the volunteers who have given up

their— volunteers who have given up their time to come to wellingborough and campaigned for me — wellingborough and campaigned for me. thank you to my family, my wonderful parents, whose love _ my wonderful parents, whose love and _ my wonderful parents, whose love and support have got me here — love and support have got me here today. to my sister—in—law for the — here today. to my sister—in—law for the yoga _ here today. to my sister—in—law for the yoga classes and baby cuddles, _ for the yoga classes and baby cuddles, and to my incredible husband _ cuddles, and to my incredible husband joe who has been such a rock to _ husband joe who has been such a rock to me — husband joe who has been such a rock to me even when i cut our honeymoon _ rock to me even when i cut our honeymoon short. i promise i will make _ honeymoon short. i promise i will make it up to you, but it might— will make it up to you, but it might have to wait until after the general election. and finally— the general election. and finally and most importantly, i would — finally and most importantly, i would like to thank everyone who — would like to thank everyone who voted for it today, particularly of course those that — particularly of course those that voted for me. but i take my responsibility to every single _ my responsibility to every single constituent seriously. whether you voted for my party, another — whether you voted for my party, another party or no party at all, _ another party or no party at all, i— another party or no party at all, i will— another party or no party at all, i will serve you and work to earn— all, i will serve you and work to earn your trust again. the lahour— to earn your trust again. the labour party is ready to serve the people of this country, and so many— the people of this country, and so many people across the constituency not just in

wellingborough but constituency notjust in wellingborough but rushton, woollaston and all the villages have _ woollaston and all the villages have told me that they have voted — have told me that they have voted labour for the very first time — voted labour for the very first time today. and to everyone who has told — time today. and to everyone who has told me they are willing to look— has told me they are willing to look at — has told me they are willing to look at labour again, i want to thank— look at labour again, i want to thank you _ look at labour again, i want to thank you all for this opportunity, they won't let you down~ — opportunity, they won't let you down. thank you very much. cheering thank you. thank you. studio: _ thank you. thank you. studio: so there we have gen kitchen, the new labour mp for wellingborough. she said she was delighted to be the new mp, and honoured that local people have placed their trust in her. she said the people of wellingborough had spoken and that it was a stunning victory for the labour party. she said that today's vote proved enough was enough, she went on to thank herfamily and was enough, she went on to thank her family and friends and everyone who had voted for her. so she has overturned a majority of over 18,000 with i make it a majority of thick

6436, but the person who will know for sure is professor sir john curtice. what you make of the result?— the result? the big headline for this is — the result? the big headline for this is that _ the result? the big headline for this is that it _ the result? the big headline for this is that it is _ the result? the big headline for this is that it is a - for this is that it is a terrible result for the conservatives. their share of the vote is down by nearly 38 points as compared with the general election, the biggest ever drop that the conservatives have suffered in a post—war by—election in a seat they were trying to defend. no doubt they will want to try to argue that the scale of their defeat as a consequence of the particular circumstances in which the by—election arose and then the decision perhaps to have peter bone's partner, the former mp who was forced to resign as their candidate. the second key feature is that reform, as we were thinking, given they got 10% in kingswood, got 13% of the vote in wellingborough, thatis the vote in wellingborough, that is a record performance

for them, although in this instance, their performance, their share of the vote, is less than labour�*s majority, so we certainly can't say that this was in any way occasion simply by reform's performance. labour, a very good performance. the swing from conservative to labour is the second biggest in any by—election in post—war history, therejust by—election in post—war history, there just isn't quite as big as the one in dudley west in 1994, but again we should note that the size of labour plasma increase is roughly half the size of the conservative decrease, much as was the case in kingswood. so much for labour to be congratulated about, but again, a by—election that tells us more about the way in which the conservatives are in deep trouble rather than necessarily an indication of the extent to which the electorate have necessarily bought into labour as the preferred alternative. we do not have the results so

that you can see it on the screen. to give you exactly whatjohn was saying. so gen kitchen for labour with 13,344, conservative helen harrison 7408, and ben habib for reform there on 3919. we can now show you the share of the vote, and there you go. labour have 45.9% of the vote, the conservatives on 24.6 and the referendum party there on 13%, so again, thatis party there on 13%, so again, that is what sirjohn was talking about, the change in the share we can now show you between this election and the last election. and there we go, labour up by19.5% and last election. and there we go, labour up by 19.5% and that drop in the conservatives, and

the referendum party up 13%, and just finally, here is the swingometerfor you, 28.5% swingometerfor you, 28.5% swing conservative to labour. sir keir starmer will be happy with both those by—election victories. with both those by-election victories— victories. yes, there is absolutely _ victories. yes, there is absolutely no - victories. yes, there is absolutely no doubt i victories. yes, there is i absolutely no doubt that victories. yes, there is - absolutely no doubt that labour will be delighted at pulling off two very remarkable successes. and to the 19% increase in their support in wellingborough in particular is a highly creditable performance. but in the end it is just performance. but in the end it isjust simply performance. but in the end it is just simply overshadowed by the extent to which the electorate have rejected the conservatives in these by—elections, down by 21 points in kingswood and others i was saying, that 38 point drop in wellingborough is an all time high, beating that record in

christchurch back in 1992. an awful lot for rishi sunak to think about, even if we allow for the possibility that local circumstances were partly responsible for what happened in wellingborough. much to cheer sir keir starmer, but also perhaps an appreciation that there is a battle going on for the votes of those who are discontented with the conservative party, and the reform party have now put down a marker to indicate that they are now also in that market. in the end, reform doing well, they may well end up doing more to help labour win seats than anything else, but it does me now that there is more than one party hunting for the spoils of discontent with the conservative party. discontent with the conservative pa . ., ., conservative party. you mention rishi sunak, _ conservative party. you mention rishi sunak, but _ conservative party. you mention rishi sunak, but it _ conservative party. you mention rishi sunak, but it would - conservative party. you mention rishi sunak, but it would also i rishi sunak, but it would also be those tory mps who are facing the election that i going to be worried about these two results, and as you are saying, that reform vote going

up. saying, that reform vote going u -. saying, that reform vote going u . _ . . ., ., saying, that reform vote going u n . . . ., ., ., , up. the crucial thing one has to realise — up. the crucial thing one has to realise here _ up. the crucial thing one has to realise here is _ up. the crucial thing one has to realise here is of - up. the crucial thing one has to realise here is of course i to realise here is of course reform, or the brexit party, its predecessor, did not protest either of these two constituencies back in 2019. nigel farage took the decision not to stand in those constituencies that the conservatives were defending. richard tice, the current reform leader is determined to stand, and therefore anything that the reform get in these constituencies constitutes a gain, and given that we know that the vast bulk of the reform vote is coming from people who voted conservative in 2019, you can see how the conservatives big header, which is how do they reconstitute that leaving the eu coalition that leaving the eu coalition that got borisjohnson to his victory in 2019, how they how can they recreate it? the increasing success of reform means that project now looks even further away than it did

even further away than it did even a few months ago. without the conservative party recreating that coalition, they do not have much chance of winning the next general election. winning the next general election-— winning the next general election. . , , election. and stay with us, i want to bring _ election. and stay with us, i want to bring you _ election. and stay with us, i want to bring you a - election. and stay with us, i l want to bring you a statement that labour leader sir keir starmer has issued. we will go to harry first, what has been the reaction to gen kitchen's win. ., ., , , . , win. you heard her speech 'ust there, win. you heard her speech 'ust there. she fl win. you heard her speech 'ust there, she said it i win. you heard her speech 'ust there, she said it was i win. you heard her speech 'ust there, she said it was a h there, she said it was a stunning _ there, she said it was a stunning victory for the labour party— stunning victory for the labour party and _ stunning victory for the labour party and she hoped it would send — party and she hoped it would send a — party and she hoped it would send a message from northampton to downing street. more than 18,000 — to downing street. more than 18,000 conservative majority overturned, and overturned guite — overturned, and overturned quite comfortably as well, more than _ quite comfortably as well, more than 6000 labour majority here now _ than 6000 labour majority here now. we're just waiting to hear from _ now. we're just waiting to hear from gen— now. we're just waiting to hear from gen kitchen, who is the new— from gen kitchen, who is the new labour candidate. but i think— new labour candidate. but i think right from the start of this— think right from the start of this evening here at the account, the conservatives were

being _ account, the conservatives were being quite pessimistic. there was more _ being quite pessimistic. there was more than perhaps the usual expectation management from the conservatives, them saying that there _ conservatives, them saying that there was — conservatives, them saying that there was even a rumour at one point — there was even a rumour at one point that— there was even a rumour at one point that they had conceded, but they— point that they had conceded, but they hadn't. labour overturning that huge conservative majority, and i'm pleased — conservative majority, and i'm pleased to say that the winning labour— pleased to say that the winning labour candidate gen kitchen hasjoined me now. congratulations. good morning. your— congratulations. good morning. your instinctive reaction? i am over the moon _ your instinctive reaction? i am over the moon and _ your instinctive reaction? i am over the moon and so - your instinctive reaction? i —n over the moon and so grateful to the constituents of all of the villages and small towns in the villages and small towns in the constituency for putting their faith the constituency for putting theirfaith in me. whether they voted labour or not, i take their vote seriously and to respond seriously, and i will be working hard to earn their trust. ~ . , ., ~' be working hard to earn their trust. ~ ., , ., ,, ., , trust. what you think it was the one you _ trust. what you think it was the one you this _ trust. what you think it was the one you this vote - trust. what you think it was i the one you this vote tonight? we ran— the one you this vote tonight? we ran an _ the one you this vote tonight? we ran an incredibly positive campaign on lots of local issues, including things like rejuvenating the high streets and town centres, putting more money back in people's pockets,

growing the economy but also making sure that people got doctor's appointments as well, because we work prior constituency. aha, because we work prior constituency.- because we work prior constituen .�* ., ., , constituency. a lot of people sa in: constituency. a lot of people saying that _ constituency. a lot of people saying that it _ constituency. a lot of people saying that it was _ constituency. a lot of people saying that it was a - saying that it was a complicated story, they didn't send — complicated story, they didn't send rishi sunak or many ministers here, and they will be saying _ ministers here, and they will be saying that they can take this back at the general election. | this back at the general election-— this back at the general election. , ., ,, election. i will be working hard to make _ election. i will be working hard to make sure - election. i will be working hard to make sure we - election. i will be working | hard to make sure we keep election. i will be working . hard to make sure we keep it election. i will be working - hard to make sure we keep it as labour. i will be out on doorsteps, mentioning the issues that people brought up, i will be doing a lot of casework and i feel very sorry for the counsellor who is responsible for pot holes, because his inbox is going to because his inbox is going to be very, very full of my e—mails. be very, very full of my e-mails-_ be very, very full of my e-mails. , e-mails. more broadly looking at the national _ e-mails. more broadly looking at the national picture, - e-mails. more broadly looking at the national picture, it - e-mails. more broadly looking at the national picture, it has. at the national picture, it has been — at the national picture, it has been a — at the national picture, it has been a difficult week for labour, _ been a difficult week for labour, and questions around anti—semitism. has the party really— anti—semitism. has the party really changed under sir keir 's leadership? i really changed under sir keir 's leadership?— really changed under sir keir 's leadership? i stood in 2019 as well, 's leadership? i stood in 2019 as well. and _ 's leadership? i stood in 2019 as well, and the _ 's leadership? i stood in 2019 as well, and the party - 's leadership? i stood in 2019 as well, and the party is - 's leadership? i stood in 2019| as well, and the party is night and day different in discipline and day different in discipline and how we conduct ourselves. from my experience, we have

changed. from my experience, we have chanced. �* . from my experience, we have changed-— from my experience, we have chanced. . ., ., , changed. and what would be your messa . e changed. and what would be your message from — changed. and what would be your message from northampton - changed. and what would be your message from northampton to i message from northampton to westminster? you will be going to take — westminster? you will be going to take up your seat in the house _ to take up your seat in the house of— to take up your seat in the house of commons in the coming days _ house of commons in the coming days what — house of commons in the coming days. what is the message you will he — days. what is the message you will be taking critical or i don't _ will be taking critical or i don't think any tory seat should _ don't think any tory seat should take the majority lightly, so i think they should listen — lightly, so i think they should listen in _ lightly, so i think they should listen in and start knocking on doors — listen in and start knocking on doors. , . ., ~ listen in and start knocking on doors. , . ., ,, , ., doors. gen kitchen, thank you very much _ doors. gen kitchen, thank you very much for— doors. gen kitchen, thank you very much for your _ doors. gen kitchen, thank you very much for your time. - doors. gen kitchen, thank you | very much for your time. there you go, the winning candidate for labour there, overturning that significance conservative majority, more than 18,000. she is saying that no conservative majority should be taken lightly in her words, and she will be taking up her seat in the house of commons in the coming days. i the house of commons in the coming days-— the house of commons in the coming days. i wanted to ask is ou are coming days. i wanted to ask is you are there. _ coming days. i wanted to ask is you are there, political- you are there, political correspondent who covers all of westminster, what are downing street going to be thinking about this when they wake up in the morning? i about this when they wake up in the morning?— the morning? i was saying before we _ the morning? i was saying before we spoke _ the morning? i was saying before we spoke to - the morning? i was saying before we spoke to gen i the morning? i was saying before we spoke to gen, l the morning? i was saying l before we spoke to gen, the message from conservative hq this evening really was very

pessimistic. they were expecting to lose this, that was the message coming out of conservative party headquarters early this evening, and they will point to the fact is i was saying to gen, they didn't campaign hard here, didn't throw much resources, rishi sunak didn't do a campaign visit here, unlike the labour leader who was here this week, and shadow home secretary yvette cooper as well was here today, and there has been no conservative frontbencher here. they will point to that and so we might be able to take it back at the general election, will be that messaging. harry farle , will be that messaging. harry farley. for — will be that messaging. harry farley, for the _ will be that messaging. harry farley, for the moment, - will be that messaging. harryl farley, for the moment, thank you very much. if you're just joining us, let me remind you of the result. labour have won the seat and here is how much they have won it by. gen kitchen for labour won with

13,844 votes. then we had the conservative candidate, helen harrison, on 7408, and then the referendum party coming third, ben habib on 3919. so what does that mean in terms of the share of the vote? we can take a look at that, it means that labour have a 45.9% share, the conservatives on 24.6 and reform out there at 13%. in terms of the change in the share, this is the interesting one. you can see labour up 19.5%, but that big, big fall by the conservatives, down 37.6%, the referendum up 13.6%, and just to put it into perspective for you, for the swing, there you go. from conservative to labour, 28.5. and as i said, sir keir starmer hasissued and as i said, sir keir starmer has issued a statement, and he

says that both results, labour not only winning wellingborough but also kingswood, are fantastic results. he says it shows that people want change and are ready to put their faith in a changed labour party to deliver it. he goes on to say by winning in these tory strongholds we can confidently say that labour is back in the service of working people, and we will work tirelessly to deliver for them. we will work tirelessly to deliverforthem. he we will work tirelessly to deliverfor them. he says we will work tirelessly to deliver for them. he says the tories have failed. richey�*s recession proves that, that is why we have seen so many former conservative voters switching directly to this changed labour party. those who gave us their trust in kingswood and wellingborough, and those considering doing so can be safe in the knowledge that we will spend every day working to get britain's future back, so that the statement from sir keir starmer, labour leader, and as i mentioned, the other when that they had was in the kingswood constituency, and we can show you the result of their from can show you the result of theirfrom kingswood, which was

won by damien egan. damien egan won by damien egan. damien egan won the seat with 11,176 votes, followed by the conservatives on 8675, and referendum there on 8675, and referendum there on 2578. what does that mean in terms of the share in kingswood? it means that labour is on 44.9%, the conservatives on 34.9 and again the referendum party there on 10.4. in terms of the change in the share, you can see labour is up 11.5, the conservatives down 21.3 and the referendum party up 21.3 and the referendum party up 10.4, and in terms of the swing, we can show you that as well. it is a swing of 16.4%. and it was damien egan who won that seat for labour, and after his win, he spoke to our political correspondent hannah

miller. today we have been knocking on doors all day, speaking to people, and you are never quite sure how it is going. but it has been a really positive campaign. we have tried to run on issues that people care about, try and listen to people, focus on trying to address all those things, and it is kind of lucky because things are our residents were telling us a thing is that keir and the labour party have been talking about, the nhs, the cost of living crisis, community policing, so it seemed to chime with the voters in kingswood. what does it mean to you to become an mp? representing the area that you are from, the area that you grew up in, where yourfamily are, it really does, it is a cliche but it feels amazing, and you just hope you can do a good job. because there's so much to do. there's so much to fix as well, and honestly as you are going around speaking to people, people are sharing some

really heartfelt stories, but also a lot of ambition for the area. kingswood is a beautiful part of bristol, but it is one that feels neglected after 14 years of conservative government, we had a conservative council for eight years, so there is a lot to do and a lot to get on with, and i hope i can make a difference. i can tell from listening to you that it is quite an emotional moment in some ways. it is, and it still hasn't completely sunk in, and obviously with working so hard, campaigning every single day, not knowing how it is going to go, knowing that you have having lovely conversations with people, but you are never quite sure, are they going to come and vote on the day? and i'm really lucky because people have come and they have shown their support. what are your priorities now? i realise you found this out two minutes ago, but what will your priorities be as an mp? issues that people have been talking about is being that spokesperson in parliament for our part of bristol. westminster needs to understand that you can't get a dentist. there is no dentist accepting nhs patients anywhere in bristol. it is really hard to get to a doctor. people don't feel safe on the streets.

so many people, the cost of living crisis is not just a slogan, it is really impacting people. you have got families who haven't been on holiday for years. people are worried about what food they put in the trolley, about heating up their homes in winter, and it puts a lot of stress on family life as well. then the other thing is around making the area nicer. i grew up in kingswood, i remember how it was. it was, it is beautiful. it has all the components there. but it definitely needs some rejuvenation. it needs some love. and i think all of us that know and love kingswood have much more ambition than what we have got in that town centre now. and of course the constituency boundaries mean kingswood as it is will not exist whenever the next general election comes. i realise again that you have literally been in this job for a kind of two minutes, but do you see this as a longer term job that you hope to do be on the next general election as well if you can?

i'm the parliamentary candidate for bristol north east when the new boundary comes in, so the kingswood part of the constituency. sorry for that bang, everyone. the kingswood part of the constituency i will be the candidate for, and it stretches from staple hill, fishponds, all areas i know well. how confident are you that labour will win a general election? i think you can never take anything for granted, and we need everyone, like today in kingswood, who went out to vote, we will need that support again later in the year. labour will be setting out a full manifesto that gives lots of things for people to go through and digest. that is damien egan, the new labour mp for kingswood. i think i may have said referendum party rather than reform uk, i blame the fact that i haven't had enough coffee at 27 minutes past four in the morning! let's get the final thoughts this half hour from our gruezojohn curtice.

from our gruezo john curtice. your from our gruezojohn curtice. your takeaway now as we have had the two by—election results. had the two by-election results-— had the two by-election results. �* , had the two by-election results. . , ., results. at the beginning of the night. _ results. at the beginning of the night, we _ results. at the beginning of the night, we were - results. at the beginning of| the night, we were doubtful results. at the beginning of. the night, we were doubtful of the night, we were doubtful of the conservative chances of being able to recover and be able to win the next general election. those doubts are not in any sense any lighter, or have not in any way receded as a result of tonight. if anything, those doubts have grown. we have seen the conservative party suffer their worst ever by—election reverse in wellingborough. maybe in part the result of local circumstances, but even so, that has compounded what is clearly a wider adverse reaction from voters to the party's record in government. the result in kingswood wasn't quite so bad for the conservatives, but even so, they lost a constituency which they lost a constituency which they last lost when sir tony blair was prime minister. the

second headline is that reform uk have now entered the electoral battle in a serious way, and the answer to the conservatives' difficulties in terms of hanging on to seats at the next general election, and they are performing well in polls. and for labour this is all pretty much good news. they will be slightly disappointed that they didn't do better in kingswood, but they can't complain much about what they achieved in wellingborough. sir keir starmer, one has to say, looks at the moment to be on course to be our next prime minister. course to be our next prime minister-— minister. we have another by-election _ minister. we have another by-election at _ minister. we have another by-election at the - minister. we have another by-election at the end - minister. we have another by-election at the end of. minister. we have another i by-election at the end of the by—election at the end of the month, briefly. brute by-election at the end of the month, briefly.— by-election at the end of the month, briefly. we do indeed, in rochdale. _ month, briefly. we do indeed, in rochdale. it _ month, briefly. we do indeed, in rochdale. it is _ month, briefly. we do indeed, in rochdale. it is a _ month, briefly. we do indeed, in rochdale. it is a labour- in rochdale. it is a labour held seat but one now that labour will no longer have an official candidate in the wake official candidate in the wake of laybutt�*s disowning of their candidate. —— matt labour's disowning of the candidate. george galloway, it will be

interesting to see whether he can when the seat or not. it won't be one that tells us much about the prospects for the next general election. professor sirjohn curtice, thank you very much forjoining us here on bbc news, and the news is if you've just us here on bbc news, and the news is if you'vejustjoined us that labour have won both the wellingborough and kingswood by—elections. there is more on the bbc news website or app. welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. new york is the ultimate american melting pot, the focus of so many immigrant dreams, but right now, immigration is a hugely contentious political issue in the united states, which makes it a great theme

for my guest today — bassem youssef, a comedian who made his name in egypt, who now makes his home in the united states. he's an arab—american who wants his fellow citizens to think hard about the most sensitive of topics. what could possibly go wrong? bassem youssef. yes?! they laugh. that's a great start. yes. it's very hard — hardtalk. it is a great pleasure to welcome you to this show — hardtalk. i'm very, very pleased to be here. thank you so much for having me. i want to beginjust reflecting on the move you made from homeland, egypt, to the united states. about ten years ago, just less, you became a migrant. but i'm just wondering about one particular

aspect of the move — your sense of humour.