Labour has remarkably clung on in Batley by just 323, seeing Kim Leadbeater elected. While Labour’s vote was down 7.5%, the Tories also dropped 1.7% thanks in part to Galloways astonishing 22% vote share.

It looks like Galloway was so successful he ended up hitting the Tories just enough to let Leadbeater win…

Labour is bullish this morning, with a source telling Guido and other outlets:

“Everyone’s being calling this a referendum on Keir’s leadership. Well we’ve won – bucked the trend, held onto this marginal seat and advanced in Tory areas. A fantastic result.”

Guido gently points out, however, that once again a ‘red wall seat’ has had a fall in its Labour vote share of 20% in four years…