By Scott McDonald

Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, Labour’s election manifesto and the party’s vigorous campaign went some way to winning back previously lost Labour votes and inspiring many young voters to vote for the first time.

During the New Labour Blair-Brown years five million Labour votes were lost across the country. The 2017 election saw Labour reverse this trend with an increase in Labour’s vote and an increase in the party’s share of the vote. This trend was also evident in the north of England yet the five seats that Labour lost in the General Election were all in the north.

An analysis of these results (see table below) shows that the losses were largely due to UKIP standing down in two of the seats with the majority of their votes going to the Tories, and in the seats where they stood candidates most of their votes were shed to the Tories.

In Middlesborough and Cleveland East it was Labour’s highest vote since 2001 and best share of the vote since 2005.

In Stoke on Trent South, Labour’s share of the vote was up 8.3% over 2015.

In Walsall North, Labour gained its most votes since 2001 and its highest share since 2005.

In Mansfield this was Labour’s best vote since 1997 and its highest share of the vote since 2005.

In North East Derbyshire it was Labour’s best result since 2005.

The article Mansfield and NE Derbyshire analysis we analyse in more depth the results in these two constituencies.

CONSTITUENCY	PARTY	2015		2017
		Votes	% Share of Vote	Votes	% Share of Vote	% Change over 2015
Mansfield	Tory	13288	28.2	23392	46.8	+ 18.5
	Labour	18603	39.4	22335	44.5	+ 5.1
	UKIP	11850	25.1	2654	5.3	- 19.8
Mbrgh S&Clvnd	Tory	16925	37.1	23643	49.6	+ 12.6
	Labour	19193	42.0	22623	47.5	+ 5.5
	UKIP	6935	15.2	DID	NOT	STAND
NE Derbyshire	Tory	17605	36.7	24784	49.2	+ 12.5
	Labour	19488	40.6	21923	43.5	+ 2.9
	UKIP	7631	15.9	1565	3.1	- 12.8
Stoke on Trent	Tory	12780	32.7	20451	49.1	+ 16.4
	Labour	15319	39.2	19788	47.5	+ 8.3
	UKIP	8298	21.2	DID	NOT	STAND
Walsall North	Tory	12455	33.8	18919	49.6	+ 15.9
	Labour	14392	39.0	16318	42.8	+ 3.8
	UKIP	8122	22.0	2295	6.0	- 16.0