Labour’s Quinn wins in Sparkbrook

The Labour Party surged ahead of Respect in yesterday’s Sparkbrook by-election, whilst the Conservatives fell to last place.

Victoria Quinn, who was up against former Respect councillor Mohammed Ishtiaq, took almost 4,000 votes with a majority of over 1,600 – almost double the 969-vote majority Labour commanded in May’s elections.

Mohammed Ishtiaq lost his seat on the council to Labour’s Tony Kennedy in May, whilst Salma Yaqoob, another former Respect councillor, resigned due to health reasons, prompting the by-election.

The result leaves just one Respect councillor in Sparkbrook ward, Shokat Ali, who will see his term of office end next May, and just one Respect councillor on the council.

Turnout against the May election, when the same five parties fielded candidates, fell from 45% to 33% yesterday. This resulted in all parties losing votes, although some suffered more than others.

Perhaps most significantly, the Green Party came fourth – ahead of the Conservative Party, who, along with the Liberal Democrats, currently run Birmingham City Council.

The result takes the total number of Labour councillors to 56. They now need just four gains in May to take control from the current coalition and five to take their number past the magic 60 and take overall control of the council.

• The full by-election results are:

Mohammed Ishtiaq, Respect – 2301
Victoria Elizabeth Quinn, Labour – 3932 Elected
Adil Rashid, Liberal Democrats – 395
Sahar Rezazadeh, Conservative – 133
Peter James Tinsley, Green – 179

Votes Rejected: 25
Total number of votes: 6965
Majority: 1631
Turnout: 33%