Labour's Paulette Hamilton becomes Britain's newest MP by winning Birmingham Erdington by-election

Labour’s Paulette Hamilton has become the country’s newest MP after winning the Birmingham Erdington by-election.  

Former nurse Paulette Hamilton, 59, has made her victory as the first black MP elected from a Birmingham constituency after the by-election was triggered by the death of veteran politician Jack Dromey – who had held the seat since 2010. 

Mr Dromey held the seat for Labour in 2019 with a majority of 3,601 and was one of the leading trade unionists of his generation, however he died at age 73 from ‘sudden heart failure’. 

The mother-of-five won with a majority of 3,266 but the by-election failed to inspire voters, with a turnout of just 27 per cent and a total of 17,016 ballots cast.

She picked up 9,413 votes, ahead of Tory candidate Robert Alden with 6,147, and when asked about her victory, she said she was ‘exhausted but delighted’.

Labour, who have held the constituency since it was created in 1974, increased its vote share from 50.3 per cent in 2019 to 55.5 per cent. 

Labour’s Paulette Hamilton (pictured) has become the country’s newest MP after winning the Birmingham Erdington by-election

Ms Hamilton, whose father died just as her campaign got under way, thanked her Labour colleagues for their support ‘through four storms’ and her bereavement.

She said: ‘I’d also like to say a special thank you to Kier Starmer for his endless support – even when my dad died, they were there, they wrapped me in cotton wool, and they supported me, and my dad isn’t even buried yet but they were there when I was crying’.

Ms Hamilton is the cabinet member for health and social care on Labour-controlled Birmingham city council.

A Labour spokesman said: ‘In Paulette, the people of Birmingham Erdington have elected a great local champion. We’re delighted that this campaign has seen the first black MP elected from a Birmingham constituency.

‘Increasing our vote share is a huge achievement and shows that with Keir Starmer’s leadership, Labour is regaining the trust of voters in our traditional ‘red wall’ seats in the Midlands after the disastrous results of the 2019 general election.

Ms Hamilton, whose father died just as her campaign got under way, thanked her Labour colleagues and Sir Keir Starmer for their support ‘through four storms’ and her bereavement

‘Even in a traditionally low turnout seat with a well-known Tory candidate, we’ve seen a swing to Labour with voters backing Keir Starmer’s contract for the British people based on security, prosperity and respect for all.’  

There had been concerns in the Labour camp that low turnout could increase the chances of an upset, while candidates from smaller parties could erode their share of the vote.

There have been close results in the past, with the Tories losing by just 231 votes in 1983, when leader Margaret Thatcher was at the peak of her powers after the Falklands War.

But Mr Johnson’s party has been struggling in the national polls as the Prime Minister was battered by allegations of parties in Downing Street breaching coronavirus rules.