LABOUR have held the Crewe West seat on Cheshire East Council as Connor Naismith was elected with 42 per cent of the vote.

The declaration, made today (Sunday) for a seat vacant since the death of Labour stalwart Brian Roberts in February 2020, saw Mr Naismith polling 185 more votes (724) than his nearest challenger, Conservative candidate Teja Vaddala (539).

Brian Silvester, representing Putting Crewe First, was third with 184 votes, while Green Party candidate Melanie English came fourth (126) in the seven-candidate poll, which saw a turnout of 22.63 per cent.

After Labour's struggles in the local election polls across England, their new councillor for Crewe stressed he won't be taking "his support for granted".

Labour dropped their share of the vote from their 62 per cent combined share (two councillors elected) in 2019 and this May's result is their lowest share since the formation of Cheshire East Council back in 2009.

Mr Naismith said; "I am extremely grateful to the voters of Crewe West for entrusting me with their vote. In the context of a difficult set of results nationally for the Labour Party, I am extremely proud that voters gave me their support this time.

"I know that this support cannot be taken for granted, and I will do everything I can to get the best deal for all Crewe West residents going forward - whether they voted for me this time or not. I will now immediately focus on getting to work for residents and putting my campaign pledges into action."

Despite defeat, Crewe and Nantwich Conservatives heralded "their best ever result" in the ward and noted a 22 per cent swing in their favour.

Crewe and Nantwich's Conservative MP Kieran Mullan said: "I have been hearing again and again since being elected that people are fed up with local Labour councillors that take their votes for granted and are not out there delivering on the things that matter to people.

"We saw in Hartlepool that more and more people are willing to think twice about voting the same way for the same old Labour. Labour actually lost a bigger share of their vote in this election in Crewe than they did in Hartlepool."

Mr Silvester said he was "encouraged" by Putting Crewe First's third-placed finish in the party's first election.

"This was the first time Putting Crewe First stood in an election since they were approved as a political party by the Electoral Commission. To have beaten the Greens, the Lib Dems, both of whom are long established parties, the Workers Party and the Independent Candidate in our first outing is very encouraging and sets the foundations for success in the future," he said.

Crewe West by-election result

Teja Vaddala (CON) 539

Melanie English (Green) 126

Paul Weaver (LIB DEM) 55

• Ben Wye made it a double triumph for Labour as he was elected to the West ward of Crewe Town Council seeing off the challenge of three of the borough council candidates in Teja Vaddala, Melanie English and Brian Silvester.

Ben Wye (LAB) 774

Brian Silvester (Putting Crewe First) 228