Starmer urges focus and discipline as he welcomes new Labour MPs to Parliament
Gen Kitchen and Damien Egan were sworn in as MPs on Monday after winning the Wellingborough and Kingswood by-elections.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir Keir Starmer joked that Labour would need “a bigger hall” as he welcomed his party’s two newest MPs to Parliament on Monday.
The Labour leader praised Gen Kitchen and Damien Egan for their victories in Wellingborough and Kingswood last week, when they toppled Conservative majorities of more than 10,000.
Welcoming the pair to Parliament’s Westminster Hall, he said: “They both overturned incredible majorities, the like of which we wouldn’t normally be able to overturn, making history before they’d even been sworn in as Members of Parliament, a fantastic achievement.
“And if we carry on like this with by-elections, we’re going to need a bigger hall.”
Sir Keir said the twin by-election victories showed the electorate had “had enough of this failed Tory Government” and represented “a vindication of all the hard work we’ve done” to change the Labour Party since he took over in 2020.
But he added a note of caution, again urging against complacency ahead of the general election expected later this year.
He said: “But, and there’s always a but from me, particularly as a football fan, one good result in February doesn’t win you the league.
“We need to stay focused, stay disciplined, celebrate these fantastic new Members of Parliament and go on and win that general election.”
Both Ms Kitchen and Mr Egan were sworn in as MPs on Monday afternoon after their elections provided a boost for Labour following the row over its candidate for the Rochdale by-election on February 29.
Labour has been forced to drop its candidate, Azhar Ali, due to remarks he made about Israel and the conflict with Hamas.
Mr Ali will, however, remain listed as the Labour candidate on ballot papers, which had already been printed by the time the party withdrew its support.
He will contest the seat against two former Labour MPs, George Galloway and Simon Danczuk, as well as Conservative candidate Paul Ellison and Liberal Democrat Iain Donaldson.